Broken Slipper
by Rutoh-Chan
Summary: Cinderella rewrite.  Because fifteen minutes isn't always enough time to fall in love, a Fairy Godmother isn't a genie, and even a prince has to prove himself.
1. The Invitation

_APOLOGIES! This is a re-post. I forgot to fix a section, which if anyone read the original chapter, was bold-ed. Sorry._

_New story. Yay! I know this is going to be kind of strange, and characters are not going to be exactly what you expect. Just give it a shot and let me know what you think. More notes at the bottom.  
_

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Kyoko Mogami had been born into a wealthy and noble family, and lived happily for most of her life in spite of the death of her mother at an early age. Her father adored her and doted on her, but never indulged her too much. She grew up with good sense, a kind nature, and an abundance of humility. Her father was a good man, and considered eccentric by his contemporaries. It might have been due to the great distance that he lived from court, but he had very particular ideals about people and equality. He bestowed these generously on his daughter.

"Everyone's a person," he told his little girl, sitting with her after supper one evening. "People are amazing. They can do all kinds of things. They can be whatever they want to. They can always change."

"Why do they treat us so special?" came the inquisitive reply.

"Because we have a special job. We have to make sure that everyone is taken care of. We have to make sure that everything that we watch over is going right. So we have to learn as much as we can, so we can be helpful."

Kyoko learned all kinds of skills that girls of her standing found beneath them, but she did not begrudge this. To her, all skill and craft was magic, and the ability to make things, to perfect them, and to tend them was spectacular. She was well loved by the staff of her father's household and helped them with their tasks in between her own formal education.

When she was thirteen, her father remarried, pressed by his position to produce an actual heir. He left his daughter and traveled to the capital to socialize and find a bride. His wealth made him desirable, but his strange ideals made him less so. He eventually married a widow who had two daughters of her own, who married him for his position and money. She was clever though, and bent to his will enough that he rather pitied her and tried to instill a sense of worth in her. He was passively fond of her children.

Several years after their marriage, when Kyoko was fifteen, he was carried away by a horrible fever, leaving his beloved daughter in the hands of a selfish clench fist.

Lady Saena Mogami had no love for her adopted daughter, or for her own children. She was pressed by social and monetary ambition. She would do her duty by her stepdaughter, but her own daughters ranked first among her concerns. Well second, next to raising her own position in the world. She had high ambitions for her own status, and was extraordinarily self interested. She did not believe in spending money she did not absolutely have to, and spent as much of it as she could on herself.**  
**

A very short time after her second husband's death, Saena realized that Kyoko was capable of working around the keep, and began to rid herself of the "excess" staff. Kyoko protected her various friends and teachers as best she could, but could not refuse the demands of her stepmother. She took over what chores she could and helped as best as she was able as the work load grew. But unfortunately, this only caused her stepmother to release even more staff.

Eventually, the disjointed family moved itself completely onto the first floor of the keep and Kyoko became solely responsible for the building's maintenance. Her days were divided between the finishing of a basic maidenly education and keeping the house in order, to the extent that she could.

Saena, in the mean time, was dragging as many young men as you could grasp from the center of society out to its fringes to meet her daughters. It was in this way, at the age of seventeen, that Kyoko met Shotaro Fuwa, a handsome and arrogant young man interested in inheriting her father's fiefdom and expanding his own circumstances.

Kyoko had been to some private formal events and had hosted very small parties for her father, but she had never been the object of a flirtation and could only be flattered by the attention that Shotaro was giving her. He put his best effort into amusing and complimenting her, which was not difficult. He complimented her and brought her petty gifts. Kyoko was convinced that he loved her and began to wait anxiously for his proposal.

Saena was not pleased. Her desire to marry her daughters off came mostly from a desire to form connections higher in society. This would allow her to marry very well a third time. The boys she was dragging in were for the sake of this goal, and Kyoko marrying would set her back. Shotaro's family had decent wealth and connections, so she could throw one of her girls away on him. But if he married Kyoko, not only would the connections not reach her as directly, he would take the estate from Saena. Kyoko's father's will had left the lands only temporarily in Saena's hands. They would be given to Kyoko's husband in event of her marriage in order to keep them in the actual family.

Saena discovered that not having a son was so taxing.

She decided to play off of Shotaro's vanity, and revealed to him Kyoko's servile position in the household. He was immediately offended and refused to acknowledge ever having associated with Kyoko.

"The title might be nice and you might have all that money, but I'd never marry a girl who knew how to sweep a floor."

To say Kyoko was heartbroken would have been an understatement. Years worth of cynicism were obtained in a single moment, and Kyoko swore to herself that she would never be so foolish as to take a man at his word again. She withdrew from all of the social calls her stepmother continued to make, worked only on keeping the house in order, and disappeared from society.

Saena was viciously angry over the turn of events, mostly because Shotaro had not turned his attention to one of her daughters. She allowed Kyoko to disappear in the hope that the other young men Saena engaged on her daughters' behalf would not be distracted by the silly chit who spent most of her days scrubbing floors and polishing metalwork.

Surprisingly, her daughters looked better on their stepsister after her tragic heartbreak.

To call Saena's daughters evil would be extraordinarily unfair. They were people, certainly, and had been given their own weaknesses of character. Vanity was a trait they shared, and had inherited from their mother. But it manifested in a very different way than in their parent. Neither one had a tolerance for fools, and while they could appreciate gratifying attention, they had a severe hatred for flattering leeches. These were the kind of people that Saena intended to surround herself with.

Neither daughter entered into their mother's ambitions. Kanae's interests were unheard of for a woman. She wanted to manage her own property, by herself, with no one to guide her. She was certain she could do it as well as any man, and a husband would only get in her way. She would not marry for money or prestige, and even if she could be forced to, she had no intention of associating with her mother once she left home, which placed the woman firmly against her daughter's plan.

Chiori was more whimsical than her older sister. She wanted to be a traveler, searching the kingdom and the world if she could for those who embodied perfection in humanity. Chiori had what she called a court face, unlike Kanae whose disdain for humanity in general was written clearly on her features, and hoped to find a person whose social mask was so sincere that she would not be able to see through it.

Neither of them had a very high opinion of their mother and they had no real love for their stepsister when they first met her. She seemed for the longest time like an overly indulged fool.

But once her heart had been thrashed by reality, both the girls could accept Kyoko better. She took care of all the chores, which they appreciated, and she sympathized with their ambitions. She was frightfully humble. She was foolishly honest, but that could not be helped. She made their life more comfortable, and they came to think of her in a tolerant way.

They were not encouraged to speak with her once she shunned society. Their mother disliked them forming such a paltry and useless attachment. Their quiet respect for her was unchanged, but they allowed her to be bullied in their place. She was a useful scapegoat and they were only human and had no desire to face Saena's displeasure. Kyoko did not complain and she was distracting enough that they were able to chase their own pleasures for the most part.

And then, as time wandered on in its own placid way, in February of the year that Kyoko was eighteen years old, there came to the holding an invitation from the palace.

"Apparently there is to be royal ball, in honor of his Highness, the Crown Prince."

"Hurrah…" Kanae responded to her mother's declaration with all the satirical enthusiasm she could muster. Chiori smiled mildly and just shook her head as Saena turned a withering gaze on her oldest child.

"I am not asking you to like the invitation, but you must agree that it is very generous."

"Especially given that we haven't been to the palace since _our_ father was alive?" Kanae retorted. "What on earth possessed them to bring us in now? Or is it actually an imperative summons to make sure you haven't actually let the real inheritor of this place die of a broken heart?"

"The Fuwas never mentioned their son's courtship to anyone. There is no reason for anyone to believe that _girl_ has died of any sort of emotional failure," Saena responded, ignoring the insult.

"I was referring to her father's death actually. Most people do when they talk about the fact that she isn't around. They say she couldn't take the loneliness, or you, and wasted away." Saena gave her daughter another acerbic stare.

"Well, that is just something we will have to deal with, won't we? In any event, the invitation is for a ball. All of the girls in the kingdom have been invited to meet the Crown Prince for his twenty-second birthday."

Chiori's mouth dropped open in shock.

"_All_ of them? Every single girl?"

"I would imagine, since that is what the invitation says," Saena stated coolly.

"It says that?" Kanae's voice was full of disbelief.

"The invitation states that the event might be a trifle crowded because all of the 'eligible young females of the realm have been invited and are expected to come barring pressing extenuating circumstances.'"

"Define 'eligible,'" Kanae muttered darkly. Her mother glowered again, but her daughter had gone back to absently poking at her food.

"Can they fit that many people into the palace? It's large, but..." Chiori trailed off, speculative.

"The invitation states that the ball will stretch across a number of days, and guests are invited to attend based on the district they live in. This will give the provincials, like ourselves, more time to travel. We will be attending the last day of the ball."

"So we won't meet anyone from the capital?"

"I imagine there will be a number of guests who are residents of the palace who will attend more than once. Certainly the royal family will be there every night. And if there is to be dancing, and the invitation only specifically invites the females of the realm, I imagine a number of men have been specially invited."

"Oh."

Throughout this conversation, Kyoko had moved about the room, serving dishes and listening silently to the conversation. It was not uncommon for her to be the topic of discussion, and she was used to being treated like she was part of the furniture. The past few years had resigned her to her servile role.

She made no comment on the invitation, but a few moments later, as she removed a plate for Chiori, the other girl looked up at her and blinked.

"Wait, since the invitation is for all eligible girls, that does include Kyoko, right?"

Her mother gave her a harsh glance, but said nothing, turning back to her food. Saena thought for a few moments before she spoke.

"Would you like to go with us?" The question was directed at Kyoko and was the only statement that had been directed at the girl that was not an order for the past year. But Saena did not look up from her supper.

"I believe I am supposed to go, since I don't have any particularly extenuating circumstances," Kyoko responded quietly with a bow.

"Except for not having a dress suitable for the occasion…" Saena suggested quietly.

"I could make one," she replied, hesitating. "It would cost less than having someone else make one. And I could use the material from my old dresses."

Saena tapped her finger against the table, looking at her own offspring, still ignoring the desperate look of the girl beside her.

"But you will have to make new dresses for the three of us, before the end of the month, along with all your other duties."

Kyoko swallowed hard, and her voice was, if possible, even quieter.

"Of course. But I could at least try."

Saena sighed.

"Very well, I see no harm in that. If you complete all of your work, have the dresses for us completed, have finished your dress, and do not fall asleep in the middle of getting dressed on the night of the ball, we will take you with us."

This announcement was made as Kyoko's stepmother stood up from the table and exited the room without a backwards glance at any of the girls.

Kanae and Chiori exchanged a knowing glance. For whatever reason, their foolish sister had long ago decided to try and make herself pleasing to the ever unsatisfied Saena. The two girls suspected it was because Kyoko was still not used to being unloved by her parent, but they had stopped trying to convince her it was not worth it.

They also made no empty promises to wear an old gown or help with the sewing. Their mother was a jealous woman and would do everything in her power to keep Kyoko from the castle on the slight chance that she would distract from Kanae and Chiori. It was unlikely that either girl would grab the attention of the Prince, but there would be plenty of other young men there, and Saena was not a woman to take chances. She wanted her daughters elevated, and she would not risk her own position on Kyoko falling stupidly in love again.

In any event, preparations for the ball began. Kyoko was swamped with work, not just preparing the dresses, but making sure the jewels the girls would wear were cleaned and neat, making sure the carriage was prepped, hiring a man to drive the family, making sure the keep was prepared for their absence, and running all sorts of other errands. While she worked quickly and efficiently, time was not on her side.

The week of their departure arrived and she had yet to finish her sisters' gowns, much less start her own.

Their Royal Majesties King Kuu Hizuri and Queen Juliena Hizuri were not happy. They had tried, they really had, to raise a good son. Having only been blessed with one child, they had cherished him, doted on him, scolded him a bit, and impressed upon him his duty to the kingdom, all in that order.

How his logic had become so warped they would never know.

They had especially encouraged him to marry where his heart was, not simply for his duty to the kingdom. But they had also told him to take his duty seriously. And they had spoiled him all through his life, they would admit. So when he had come up with his flippant idea for his birthday celebration, they could not help but cave to his whims.

It did not help that his father was such a stupidly loving parent.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Kuon Hizuri had suggested that since his parents had barely let him out of their sight, had restricted his movements so much during their travels, and had (rightfully) kept him in the company of the noble and genteel, it was not his fault that he had never developed so much as a slight affection for a woman. He was constantly surrounded by the people who wanted to be noticed and rewarded by the crown, had not been able to travel and get to know the world as he should, and if his parents really desired him to marry for love, they had to acknowledge that his love might not be found amongst the entitled of the realm.

They had very begrudgingly agreed.

Yukihito Yashiro, particular advisor to the royal family, recommended by their close friend His Grace Lory Takarada, nearly had a fit when he heard the news. He was in charge of assembling the guest list, which took every ounce of his ingenuity, and organizing the preparations for so very many people. It also rubbed against his dignity to think he would be writing invitations for girls of _every _class_. _It was tasteless, and he hoped that the nobility would not be offended by Kuon's blatant flaunting of the rules of decency. He took to glaring at Kuon whenever they met, but the younger man just smiled and thanked him for all his hard work.

Yukihito hoped he fell down a flight of stairs.

A quiet evening at the palace found the royal family, His Grace, and their advisor all helping to sort the various replies to invitations. The king and queen were quietly working in one corner, while Yukihito grumbled to himself in another. Kuon took the opportunity to speak with Lory.

Duke Lory Takarada was a man of an impressive nature. He was perpetually in full ball dress, taking the shine out of everyone around him. It was not that he was over bedecked with jewels, chains, pendants, or rings. He had decorations to match all of his outfits well, but not overdone. He looked his best at all times. At an actual ball, he outshone his fellow guests with even brighter colors, richer fabrics, and finer details than anyone else could even imagine. And the occasional exotic animal.

No one tried to copy his style. He was one of a kind.

"You seem excited about this," Kuon murmured, shifting in his seat.

Lory looked over at Kuon, who was shifting papers disinterestedly.

"Biggest event here since your parents wedding. Why would I not be excited?"

"I seem to recall you telling me not a week before this idea appeared that you hoped I came by my just desserts for breaking so many gentle hearts. Seems strange that you would have encouraged this."

Lory chuckled. "I thought you understood me," he scolded. "You proposed to your parents a plan where you would meet a girl and fall madly in love with her in one night. Fall in love with her, Kuon. As much as I would still love to watch you come by what you have earned, I don't have any desire to see anyone alone and lonely for their whole life."

"So ideally, I find the girl at the ball?"

Lory snorted, displeased with Kuon's apathetic tone.

"Ideally, you get jilted badly and have to work to prove you're worth marrying. Or even knowing..." Kuon cocked an eyebrow.

"You really expect that to happen?"

Lory did not need to look at Kuon to read the incredulity coming off of the boy. In all honesty, Lory expected no such thing. Kuon was the Crown Prince and it was highly improbable that a girl's family would let her refuse his proposal. If he was refused, Lory did not have a lot of hope in Kuon rising to the challenge of proving his worth. He knew, even more than Kuon's parents, the weight of the responsibility that Kuon carried, and also the frustration and fear he felt.

For all that Kuu was regarded as the most eccentric royal the kingdom had ever been subject to, he was also very well respected. He was hard working, peaceful, and fair. He tried not to step on the toes of the wealthy and entitled, but he also did his best to make his kingdom comfortable for all the little people who kept it running.

His wife was no less loved, but Kuon had long been subject to an unhealthy amount of comparison between him and his father. It was no use telling the boy he would be his own kind of king. Kuu had set a high standard, and Kuon was not sure he could reach it. Especially since he was unsure of where his own talents really lay. To be sure, he had excelled at all his scholarly pursuits, could hold his own in physical activities, and had excellent manners. But he was unsure of his own interests and passions, and did not know his kingdom as well as he should.

This could be partly blamed on Kuu, whose overly doting desires kept him close to his son at all times, and as such made it impossible for Kuon to try and get to know his people. The adults turned to his father. The children were intimidated by his title and his hovering parent.

Worse than any of this, Kuon knew his ignorance and weakness, and felt inadequate because of it. And it was not something that could be easily remedied.

That was a third reason why Lory approved of this event, though he would not admit it to anyone. In spite of the fact that all kinds of people would invade the palace and cause no small riot, it was a chance for Kuon to meet a large number of people he had never seen before and learn how to interact with them all.

It was not being publicized that the event was being hosted in order for Kuon to find a bride, but rumors moved faster than wildfire and it would make for a very interesting evening. Kuon would end up speaking to a large number of girls who, rightly or not, would hold expectations of catching his attention. He would have to judge their sincerity and be judged in return. Some of them would have no expectations and would test him, to see if he trifled with them. He might learn a few things.

However, hanging over everyone's head was the fear that Kuon would take interest in a girl, and that she would not really be suitable queen material.

His parents had no desire to see him in an apathetic relationship based on duty, and Lory abhorred the idea and worked continually under the belief that every human should be enveloped perpetually in a loving relationship. Yukihito knew Kuon well enough to want him to be happy, in spite of wanting him to fall down a flight of stairs. The only thing Kuon had ever wanted his own happiness.

But all of them knew it would be very awkward if he were to fall in love with a girl deemed unworthy by society, particularly the nobility. Technically, there was no power or law that could stop him, but it would be difficult. She would have to have very thick skin and be prepared to be shunned by both the upper and lower class. And it would create bad feelings towards the monarchs, both present and future.

With feelings of trepidation in the hosts, an uncertainty eating at the guests, and a disappointed Kyoko sitting quietly in her room making tiny stitches, the ball looked to be an unfavorable affair.

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_So there it is. Chapter one. I hope that you liked it, and that you'll stick around for chapter two. If you have any questions, find anything confusing, or have any advice, please please please let me know. I'll try and sort things out and make this incredible. I'm hoping that Will and I will be able to work things out so that this updates in a timely fashion. My poor, poor beta. Hope you all are having a good new year._


	2. The Fairy Godmother

_Okay, after the drudgery of set-up in chapter one, we have STUFF HAPPENING!_

_Sort of. Enjoy.  
_

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If the partygoers were nervous about attending such a large and unprecedented ball, the residents of the capital city were torn between overwhelming gratitude and utter misery.

The kingdom was a fair size, stretching across an expanse of land that saw most climates. The far north endured the heaviest of the snow in the winter, and the south reached just far enough to be called tropical in the summer season. The capital was located more to the south and to the east, sitting on the edge of a large forest that divided the more tropical climate region from the rest of the realm. It took a little over two weeks to cross from the southernmost point to the northernmost, and about two weeks to cross from east to west. As far as fiefs were concerned, Kyoko's resided almost at the peak of the north, Duke Takarada's about a week's travel to the north and east of the capital. In any event, the kingdom housed a healthy population.

And with more than half of the entire kingdom visiting across the expanse of two weeks, a surge of guests were invading every possible inn. Every family connection, no matter how remote was being abused. This meant a large influx of money into the city, and on all of the transports and inns along the way. Most honored guests, particularly those that had been asked to stay through the event to help even out numbers, were given residence at the palace. Little used apartments, kept by the nobility in town for just such an occasion, suddenly sprang to life and lazy servants were put to their first real work in years. Everyone else had to make the best of the space that was left.

The upcoming event most especially meant a huge influx of females, all very needy. Three days into the extended celebration, not a single innkeeper or shopkeeper could keep his composure.

"Is red meat the only food every served here?"

"I don't care if you don't have shutters, can't you do anything about that horrible noise outside?"

"Do you consider this dress pressed? And just _look_ at this hem! How can I go out like this?"

"I said I wanted my hair flowing, not draping!"

"You expect me to pay _how much_ for this room? Are you insane?"

"Yes, I know I bathed last night. And I will bathe again tonight! And every night I am here! Yes I know there are others here, but I will _not_ wait and then bathe in _lukewarm_ water!"

The overwhelming stench of perfume was soon inescapable.

The nights of the ball were a nightmare, with carriages, horses, and all other modes of transportation clogging the streets past dawn of the next morning. Pickpockets did well across the evenings, but they risked life and limb in the process. Stray dogs took to hiding in the deepest corners they could find to avoid the stampede of humanity.

Kuon was bored within thirty minutes of the first ball. The girls would either flirt viciously with him, or try and cross verbal swords. He was polite, but firm, flirting lightly, but being more careful than normal to spread his attention around to all his guests. He could feel their eyes on him, judging him.

"You're so tall, Prince! Just like your father." This girl, swimming in pink and draped in jewels, was batting her eyelashes in what she must have thought was a charming manner. She was the fourth girl to have done so that night. And did it have to be his father?

"I've always admired your mother, Prince. She's so graceful! I wish I could dance half as well as she could!" Kuon's feet wished so too.

"So you've never been on your own outside the palace?" This girl was a little older than he was, and kept giving him a dissatisfied look. But that did not stop her from stepping onto the dance floor with him under her mother's baleful glare. or from falling for his bored smile.

"Priiiince..." If he could ever escape from this female, suctioned provocatively onto his arm, halfway drunk, and clearly from a walk of life he had never even daydreamed of visiting, it would be a miracle.

By the end of the first evening alone he heard at least twenty different comparisons between him and his father.

Back at her home, Kyoko was busy packing for the trip that awaited her. Because she would be needed to care for her sisters and be on hand to make last minute changes to the dresses, she was being brought on the trip. She packed the dresses she meant to remake for herself, but took only halfhearted care while packing them. She did not believe she was going to have time, especially since the days of travel would not be days she could work a single stitch.

"Will you have time to finish your dress before the ball," Kanae asked one afternoon as Kyoko tried to fit what she had completed of the other girl's dress.

"Only if Mother doesn't ask me to reclean the third floor."

"Which is _very_ likely, especially since she made you redo both of the other floors. And you shouldn't bother to call her that," Kanae stated coldly. Kyoko simply shrugged and tugged at a sleeve and placed a pin near the cuff. Kanae's anger suddenly left her. "You could still go, you know." Kyoko looked up at her in surprise. "You have some nice dresses, even if they aren't the best. And you don't have to come with us. You could leave later. Even that Witch wouldn't make a scene once you got in. And you know you want to."

Kyoko considered this for a minute.

"The truth is, I've grown enough that I don't really fit in any of my nicer dresses anymore. And I'm sure I could show up in rags and they would let me in if I insisted. But I don't think I could do it. It's too..."

"Sloppy," Kanae suggested. Kyoko nodded.

"Father wouldn't have liked it," she confessed. "He wasn't extravagant, but he took his position seriously. He said that he represented his people and the work they did. If he was sloppy or dirty, it made them look bad. And if he was overdone, it made him look like he didn't know his people or his lands."

"And you really have no desire to be seen at the biggest ball ever hosted in the same dress you used to mop the floor?"

"Well, and that too. Is that too silly?" Kanae laughed at the miserable look on her face.

"No. I wouldn't do it either. But it is a pity."

It was a pity, but Kyoko did still have some pride left, even after that _boy_…

It was not that she had any particular desire to catch attention by going to the ball, but she was her father's daughter, and had been raised as a noble girl. She had been to parties, worn pretty dresses, had chatted with young ladies and danced with young men. She enjoyed a good party and this could have been her very last chance to attend one. She did not doubt her stepmother would keep her hidden away until the end of time, but this was a royal decree that was summoning her. She cursed her pride for keeping her from her duty.

But there was nothing to be done.

Thankfully, Kyoko being a smart girl, the day that the invitation arrived, she sent out to hire rooms for the days that they would be needed for her mother and sisters. Her quick wit meant not only did they each get their own small room, but that it was in a well established area and close to the palace. She had also managed to get rooms at inns along the way.

The day of departure arrived and everyone crammed themselves into the carriage. It was a miserable journey with almost no speaking, and any conversations that did start turning quickly into arguments that had to be moderated by Kyoko. She was treated as a servant at every stop and got less rest than all of her companions. She never had her own room on the road and usually ended up helping the staff wherever they stopped.

Upon arrival at the capital, she saw her step-family safely bestowed at their temporary residence, then took off to make sure that they would have everything they would need when they awoke. The ball was not for a few more days, and in order to save space in the carriage they had not brought anything to keep them entertained. Kyoko also needed various supplies to finish the dresses, and it never hurt to know the area you were staying in.

The next few days were hectic. It took every trick Kyoko knew to keep her stepmother and sisters entertained and less than irritable. She worked hard to make sure the noise of traffic in the late night and early morning would not disturb them. She tried to keep them away from the staff of the inn so that as few people as possible would suffer from their sharp tongues. She worked until her whole body ached and her fingers were bright red from all the attention she had given to the dresses.

The day of the ball arrived and she worked like a demon to get her charges put together. Her dress, not started much less finished, sat buried at the bottom of her belongings as she bustled about fixing hair, adjusting hems, finding jewels, and applying perfumes.

When the entourage finally left, several hours early to trudge through the crowded streets, Kyoko let out a sigh and collapsed in a chair, only glad that she was no longer required.

She allowed herself to enjoy that feeling for a good ten minutes before the laughing and jostling of traffic outside made her heart ache as she had not let it since she had told herself she would never manage to go.

She knew she could not go to the palace, but she could not stay here either. She left, making her path away from traffic and towards the quietest place she could find. She actually left the main part of the city, finding a hill just inside the walls that would allow her to gaze longingly at the building with the party she would not attend.

"Just one more chance…" she whispered wistfully to the cool evening.

To her great surprise a voice answered.

"Well, that's all I'm allowed to give anyone."

Kyoko turned in surprise to see a woman, just shorter than herself in a white dress with curling brown hair, hands on her hips, and a star capped wand in her hand. She had an assortment of tasteful accessories, lovely shoes, and was staring at Kyoko with a pout, glowing with a faint white light.

"I'm sorry," Kyoko mumbled. "I didn't mean to bother you."

"You were not bothering anyone. You never mean to bother anyone," was the curt reply. "And I can't tell you how frustrating it is to _not_ to be allowed to play with you all the time."

"Play with me?"

"Oh, dress you up. I've always wanted to, you know. You want to go to the ball, don't you?" Kyoko was taken aback by the whiplash of the woman's conversation.

"O-of course. But I'm afraid that would be impossible."

"Darling, I'm a fairy godmother. Nothing is impossible."

Kyoko instantly looked skeptical.

"Nothing?"

Fairy Godmother sighed.

"Alright, lots of things are impossible. You going to the ball, well within my talents."

"Really?"

"Of course. You really just need a dress and a quick clean up. Well, and I'll have to get you to the palace, since you've walked all the way out here. And I suppose the rest will be up to you. But I don't think you would be happy if I just gave you everything you wanted."

Kyoko nodded in agreement to the last statement, but still was unsure.

"Why are you helping me?"

"Everyone needs a little magic now and then. Some people just actually earn it."

"So... you'll help me?"

"Of course. The only trouble is I can only help you once. I've been waiting for the ideal opportunity, and my evaluation is that after this there won't be anything I can do to really help you anymore. This is your one chance, so you better go and snag the Prince while you can."

Kyoko blinked.

"Umm, if you're doing this so that I can meet His Highness in particular, you should probably help someone else. I just wanted to go to a ball one more time. I appreciate the offer, but I can't imagine wanting to marry the Prince. I've never met him before and a formal party doesn't seem like a good place to get to know him. But thank you for the offer. I'm sorry to waste your time."

Fairy Godmother smiled at Kyoko and shook her head.

"You don't have to marry the Prince if you don't want to. You don't even have to dance with him. But I am going to send you to the ball. I have a sense for this kind of thing, it comes with the job, and you need to be there. Not just for you, though I'd do it if that were the only benefit. Have fun, relax, and don't worry. You're not taking this from anyone else."

Kyoko thought about this for a moment, her brow furrowed and chewing her lower lip. She really did want to go. A glamorous party, lots of beautiful dresses, lilting music, her first chance to see Their Majesties, said to be the most beautiful people anywhere. Her last chance, really. And she _was_ supposed to be there…

"Alright, I accept, Miss…"

"My name is Jelly Woods, though it really doesn't matter. I'm just a fairy godmother after all."

Kyoko smiled.

"I never would have guessed that, you know. You're so young and pretty, and I always thought fairy godmothers would be more matronly. I like you much better."

Jelly laughed, tickled by Kyoko's comment.

"Well, the job is sort of a timeless thing. And not everyone gains all their wisdom after the prime of their life. Some of us are clever little girls," she told Kyoko with a smart wink.

"Of course you are. And _very _pretty," Kyoko sighed.

"Oh, you are good for my vanity. But enough about me, we have to get you dressed."

A strange light seemed to enter Jelly's eyes as she started to twirl her wand like a baton. She looked Kyoko up and down several times, her smile growing mischievously with each passing second.

"Ummm-"

"Oh you are a good girl. I haven't had such great material to work with since I don't even know when. You only really need a touchup after all. Oh this is going to be lovely… Close your eyes dear."

She moved forward suddenly and started circling Kyoko, raising her arm slowly as she made her turn. When she had finished her circuits, holding the wand just above Kyoko's head, she paused to evaluate what she had done so far.

Kyoko felt the wand pass in front of her face, then touch her collarbone softly. A quick flick hit each earlobe and she felt the points of the star trace her wrist a few times. She could sense Jelly paused behind her and heard the fairy godmother tapping the wand on her hip, hmming quietly.

"I really doesn't need too much..."

After a few moments she felt a breeze on the back of her neck as her hair shifted.

"Alright, all finished!" Jelly's voice had a singsong quality to it and Kyoko suddenly felt very heady. Looking down at her arms she saw they were smooth and clean with a few tinkling bracelets hanging gently off her wrists. The fabric of the dress she was now wearing was a beautiful blue that seemed to shimmer into an almost purple shade as she moved in the faded light.

Jelly summoned a full length mirror and held it up for Kyoko to see herself in. The dress was gorgeous and flowed softly down around her feet. The jewelry was simple, a silver necklace with a few moderate sized diamonds, diamond drops in her ears. Her hair was pulled up into a loose bun on her head, her face framed with a few well placed strands. It had a few well places pins, diamonds in the shape of butterflies sitting on the sides of the bun.

The only thing that confused her was her shoes. She looked down at her feet, trying to figure out why they felt like they were trapped in cool water.

Her slippers were made entirely of glass, slightly opaque to hide the squished lines of her toes. The slippers were elegant and matched the dress well, and her eyes glowed as she watched them sparkle in the shimmering light coming off of Jelly, who had moved behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Why glass? I would think that would be like begging for blisters." Kyoko's voice was curious, but her face could only portray an entranced wonder at the mystical creation on her feet.

"Well, it is trouble if you wear them for too long, but you should be alright until the spell wears off. The advantage is they have to be perfectly fitted in order to actually work, so no one else can use them."

"You just said that the spell would end. Why would anyone else get the chance to use them?"

"Hmm, oh, any number of reasons. If nothing else they'll be a great conversation piece. Glass slippers are fairly fascinating after all. Since those are the only ones anywhere."

"When does the spell end?" Kyoko was most concerned now about this point.

"Midnight," Jelly said with a sigh. "I could make it go longer, but the problem is getting you back to the inn. You'll need to beat the party goers so that no one sees you change back. You'll have until just after the last stroke of midnight, then everything you're wearing that I gave you changes back. That is the best I can do."

Kyoko took her turn to sigh.

"I suppose after walking back, I'll only have a few hours at the actual ball. Oh well. That is still better than how I thought I would be spending the evening. Thank you very much."

Jelly laughed.

"As for getting back, I was just going to send you to the gates of the palace. You'll get as much time as I can possibly give you. You really should be there, after all. But you'll have to get yourself out. Once I leave you, I'm gone and I can't come back. But you should be fine."

Kyoko nodded and curtsied beautifully to her benefactress.

"Thank you very much for this chance. I will do my best to be worthy of the gifts you've given me." Jelly waved off her compliments and whipped her wand up once.

"I don't give them to girls that don't deserve them. Best of luck, darling!" she called out before Kyoko was swept away by an invisible force.

* * *

_One day I will perfect the art of actually starting a story in an exciting manner in its first chapter. So for everyone who read the last chapter and wanted to lynch me for lameness, I hope this chapter made up for it. And the following chapters should be even better. I hope. Thanks so much to reviewers that made suggestions and comments. I make this story better with your help._


	3. The Ball

_And chapter three..._

* * *

Kyoko appeared a little ways away from the front gate of the palace, tucked under the shadow of a building. She was grateful for this since it meant no one had noticed her magical arrival. She smoothed down her dress, patted her hair, and stepped out towards gate where a few other late arrivals were being let in.

It was at this point that she realized that she had no invitation to present to the guards who were standing there. Her heart sank and she tried to imagine how she could have forgotten such an important document.

As she stood fretting over her mistake, one of the guards noticed her and made his way towards her. She flushed as he did, wondering how she would ever explain herself without looking like a complete fool.

He looked kind enough and bowed politely to her when he reached her. She curtsied and hoped that the dim light covered her blush.

"Is something the matter, miss? Everyone else has already been led inside," the guard inquired with a smile, encouraging her.

"Oh I'm so very sorry. It seems I have wasted a great deal of my time and now I'm wasting yours. The invitation that was received at my house was taken by the others that I came with. They left long before me and I am afraid I was quite stupid to get dressed and come all this way. Oh, I'm so very sorry!"

The guard's smile grew and he extended his hand to her.

"Actually, that will not be a problem, miss. Since the invitation went out to all the young ladies of the realm, you are welcome to come in. As long as one of us has seen you, you don't actually need to have the invitation with you."

Kyoko smiled in relief and thanked the man, though she also thought it was a somewhat sloppy way to handle things. She let the guard lead her to the gate and through it. She missed the jealous looks of his companions as she tried to take in the courtyard, but her escort smirked at his friends and winked.

Once they were inside the palace, she was handed off to one of the servants and was escorted the rest of the way to the ballroom. This large space was completely filled with people. Kyoko did not blame her escort when he stopped outside the grand doors and let her step in alone. The air was stifling. But the image before her was magnificent.

The far end of the room held a raised dais with a set of steps leading up to it. This held three chairs, currently empty, but which had probably at one point held the royal hosts. The left side of the room actually opened out into the garden, and a number of people streamed out of the building that way in the hopes that the open air would be a relief from the heat of the ballroom. The right wall was lined with tables covered in food and drinks. A number of people lounged in that direction, nibbling on refreshments and chatting. There were seats against most of the walls and a spattering of tables around the edges of the room. The middle of the floor was filled with dancers, completely surrounded by the other guests who simply mingled and visited. Kyoko was not sure where the musicians were hiding, but she imagined they could not be very comfortable.

She began to wander through the crowd and instantly began to draw attention. Soon, she had a small entourage of young men surrounding her and was engaged in an insipid conversation. She chattered, was brought refreshments, smiled, giggled, and pretended to be flattered by her companions. She believed none of the compliments given to her, refused to give out her name, and quickly became bored with her little group.

She was not pleased with the division that she saw in the crowds. Clearly, the gossiping circles had been based mostly on appearance, the poorer looking girls huddled together admiring the grandeur, the rich looking ones holding up their noses, and the finely, if somewhat scandalously, dressed girls hiding in corners, trying, probably for the first time in long time, to not catch too much attention.

Kyoko excused herself and started moving between the little circles, joining in the inane chatter and making herself agreeable to everyone. She shocked the commoners with her knowledge of their skills, amazed the nobility with her grace and tact, and horrified everyone as she spoke with the various groups of shockingly dressed women huddling about the room. But she got along well with everyone she spoke to and was not rejected from any of the circles. She left warm smiles and hushed whispers behind her, and enjoyed herself every minute.

From time to time she would be spirited away by some dashing gentleman and allowed to dance. Then she would go back to her circuit of the conversation floor.

During the course of the evening she spotted the king and queen, dancing together and looking so magnificent that it took Kyoko's breath away. The joy and affection on their faces was so intense it made Kyoko horribly jealous for a long moment, before she scolded herself and turned back to her current companions.

She caught sight of the Prince a few times as he led various girls through dances. She thought he looked splendid in his ball dress, crisp white embroidered in pale gold, but she did not dwell on him. She could not think well of a man who believed he could invite an entire kingdom worth of potential brides to a ball. It showed a degree of vanity she found disturbing. It was almost like he thought he would never be refused.

Although that might be true from what she could see of the other girls hovering around the room, staring at him and whispering.

It made her ill.

Eventually, her stepmother and sisters spotted her.

"Kanae, look," Chiori tugged on her older sister's sleeve, jerking her head slightly to point at the figure across the room.

"Oh no," Kanae groaned as Saena noticed her daughter's movements and spotted Kyoko as well. "She is going to be in so much trouble." Saena's lips were pursed in a tight line and her eyes were blazing. Kyoko turned around at that moment to address someone beside her and spotted her step family. If she recognized them, she gave no hint of it, but kept talking. Since no one else from the group looked over, the three woman could only assume she had said nothing about them. Saena turned to pointedly ignore the young woman, but Kanae and Chiori noticed her continual glances out of the corner of her eyes.

"Prince, I need a favor," Hidehito Kijima said as he slung an arm over Kuon's shoulder. Kuon ignored him and kept looking for a way to make it to the refreshment table for a drink. "Oh, now really. It will help you fill your quota..."

Hidehito was an occasional visitor to the palace, a man with no title but more money and good looks than seemed fair. He had friends in high places, and while Kuon gave him a grudging respect, Hidehito's love for beautiful women got him into more trouble than even Kuon could boast. So it was with reluctance that he gave the other man his attention.

"My quota?"

"You keep checking in with your family's adviser to see how many more of these women you have to say hello to. Don't think I didn't notice. But look, over there." Hidehito pointed towards Kanae and Chiori, a mischievous smile on his face. "They've been dodging men all evening, saying they can't leave the other with no one to talk to. So I say, we grab them both at once."

"Why?"

"Because we are good looking men, and if we can't do this, we have no reason to live."

"I'll take your word for that," Kuon sighed as he looked for an escape in the press of people.

"Oh come on now. They're prettier than most of the girls here."

"Fine, but I get the taller one." Hidehito pouted, but acquiesced and the two approached the young ladies. The girls knew they were doomed once Saena noticed the Prince coming their way. Her look told them clearly that "no" was not the right answer to any questions they were about to be asked.

"Good evening ladies," Hidehito bowed. "I can't say that we've seen you around before this evening. Who might you be?"

Chiori introduced the two of them. It was asking too much of Kanae to be polite just then. She had figured out which one of the men was going to be asking for her hand, and she was not happy.

"You've come from quite far out. And you don't come to the capital often?" Hidehito pressed, covering for his mute companion.

"When we were younger, we came more frequently. But not so much anymore," Chiori wondered what kind of silent conversation could be passing between the Crown Prince and her sister. Both were staring at each other, and neither seemed too pleased.

"Then now will be the only time that we can steal a dance. Won't you?" Chiori gave Hidehito a mild smile and placed her hand in his. Kuon finally spoke.

"Since your sister is engaged, would you do me the honor?" His hand was extended and Kanae took it reluctantly, shooting a bitter glare at her mother. Saena missed this, still observing her stepdaughter out of the corner of her eye and trying to find a way to remove the girl without causing a scene. Nothing came to mind.

Chiori gave her sister a pitying look before Hidehito led her away. Kuon took Kanae out onto the dance floor and waited for a few minutes for her to start a conversation. When she seemed to be determined to stare over his shoulder, his polite instincts took over and he wracked his brain for something to say.

"You come from the north?" Kanae met his eyes, but she was still frowning.

"As far north as you can get and still belong here," she responded coolly. "Have you ever been there?"

"I've visited Duke Takarada's holding on a few occasions with my family, but I haven't been further north than that. And I've only ever been in the summer."

"Have you ever really been anywhere?" she asked in frustration, and Kuon instantly tensed.

"I've been to various places around the kingdom."

"So that would be a 'no,'" she told him while rolling her eyes. Kuon found his anger mounting. He had not had to deal with too many girls that had openly disliked him, but this one grated on him. And it did not seem like he would be able to win her over.

"If you insist," he responded as calmly as he could. They did not speak after that, and his bow to her when the dance was over was very brief.

It was now close to midnight and Kuon had reached his limits for the evening. He found Yukihito in a secluded corner and tried to hide a grimace as the man handed him a drink.

"Am I even close to reaching the end of this drudgery?"

"You've still got several hours and a large number of girls left," his friend teased him.

"Lovely. Who's idea was this?"

"Yours," Yukihito responded with no small amount of satisfaction. "If I could make a suggestion?"

"Certainly. I suppose it involves me not killing any of the young ladies present."

"Well, if I am right, that might be a result, but that was not my suggestion."

"Hmm?"

"The young lady, over there in the corner, in the blue dress and strange company…"

Kuon looked over in the indicated direction and cocked his eyebrow.

"That _is_ a woman in very strange company. She is much too respectable looking to actually know those girls. Is her gown actually blue, or violet?"

"I couldn't tell you. All I know is that she has been flitting about the room for hours, speaking to every person present. And all of them have been speaking to her, even after she began including some of our more scandalous guests in her conversations."

"Really?"

"She must have some interesting things to talk about, since she's been speaking with so many different people."

"Couldn't be any worse than the last _young lady_ I danced with," Kuon grumbled.

"She's rather lovely, don't you think?" Yukihito asked, ignoring the comment and looking up at the Prince from the corner of his eyes. Kuon made an affirmative noise, still watching the girl, who was focused on an intense conversation with her current companions.

He strode over to the group, eyes fixed on his target. She was in the middle of saying something so he waited until the chattering had died down and made his bow.

"I hope you ladies will excuse me, but I'm afraid I'd like to steal this gem from you." He gave them his most winning smile and extended his hand to the girl in the blue gown. Kyoko excused herself to her companions, giving them a quick goodbye as well. She knew it was nearing midnight and she would likely have to leave as soon as this dance ended.

"Were you having a good time?" he asked mildly. She did not even glance at him as she replied, but rather looked towards another group of girls.

"Oh yes. They're very nice you know, and so intelligent. I'm hoping they'll go and speak to the girls over there, by the far table. They were complaining earlier about being short of hands to do the work in their area and said they did not mind who came to help them, it was getting so bad. Most of the girls that I've talked to who have been in less favorable kinds of work have wanted other jobs, so I recommended to that group in particular that they speak to the girls by the table, since they live so close- ah, there they go."

She was smiling now, pleased with this development. By this point, Kuon had led her onto the dance floor and swept her into an easy hold. The music began and she proved immediately to have a light step and an easy grace.

"You're sure it will work out?" She gave him a knowing look as she answered.

"It's true that no one wants loose women moving en masse into their township, but the work they are applying for is needed and people are more forgiving than you would think. The girls also figure since people already talk behind their backs about all the horrible affairs they're involved in, they might as well be doing decent work and have the satisfaction of knowing they are in the right. And I might have suggested to the first group how hard it would be to be living _that _kind of life."

"The other group accepted you very easily."

"Oh, you can talk to anyone if you're respectful enough. Though I suppose it helps to be sincere. I've always been told that people are just people, and it's best to treat them that way."

"I suppose that explains your indifference," he said mildly, trying to draw her attention to himself. She had the effrontery to laugh at him.

"I'm terribly sorry Your Highness. You were just speaking so normally I forgot to faint in your arms after stumbling over my own name." He laughed at this and apologized.

"By the way, what is your name?" Kyoko shook her head.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Your Highness."

"And I'm sure you have a very compelling reason that you can't tell me," he retorted with a mocking tone. Kyoko was immediately on the defensive, but she kept her smile in place.

"It's a horrible name and it quite ruins my image."

"Well, we can't possibly have that, now can we."

"It would certainly put a damper in my evening. If I never come back here, people will only remember me for my terrible name. And that would quite shame my family," she told him, smiling. He chuckled and led her into a spin.

The rest of the dance went well enough. They kept a mild conversation going throughout, and Kuon found himself plenty amused with his strange partner. He complimented the girl on her looks, her address, and her wit. Kyoko smiled and thanked him, thinking to herself that he was no more sincere than the boys who had flirted with her earlier. She could see he was trying to flatter her and make her blush. She could recognize this game now, and she was not going to play it.

Kuon noticed the dance was coming to an end and he was somewhat disappointed. He had other guests he needed to see, but this girl had been the most interesting so far. It would be nice to spend the rest of the evening in her company. His arms, usually tired after a long dance, were warm, and he was reluctant to let her go when the music finally came to a close. He slid his fingers down her arm and caught her hand in his, kissing her fingers lightly and smiling politely.

"Thank you," he murmured, and was pleased to see just a touch of color on her face. "I look forward to dancing with you again later."

"Your Highness," she curtsied and drew her hand away, slipping off as quickly as she could. Kuon was amused and a bit surprised at her hurried departure, but shrugged and went in search of his next partner, keeping an eye out for her for the rest of the evening. When he could not, he figured the crowds had been against him.

He would have been disappointed to know she had fled the building as soon as their dance had finished. By the time Kyoko had left the ballroom and made it halfway to the courtyard the first toll of the midnight bell was sounding.

She scurried towards the exit, smiling at the few people that she saw along the way and moving as quickly as she could. She marked the tolls with concern as she traveled. She finally removed her slippers and was able to speed up.

She made it all the way through the gate, without anyone stopping her, by the ninth toll and bent down to put her shoes back on. Suddenly the guard who had let her in called out to her. She stumbled and dropped one of the shoes, but took off running as the eleventh bell tolled. She had no more time.

Kyoko ran all the way back to the inn, flew up the stairs to her room, and collapsed onto her bed. Her dress was old and dirty again, her jewels were gone, and she could feel her hair hanging limply on her head. The feeling of having returned so quickly to her uncomfortable life depressed her, but she refused to let it overwhelm her. Kyoko had had a good evening, after all.

She blinked in surprise as she suddenly noticed her hand still clutched one glass slipper. She stared at it for a moment, trying to figure out why she still had it. Then she decided she was too tired to care, and that it did not matter. She held it tightly the rest of the night. It was the only proof that the whole thing had not all just been a pleasant dream.

* * *

_Many thanks to my beta for putting up with some the worst sentences an author could be forced to own up to while editing this chapter. This story makes sense thanks to your efforts, Will._

_Hope that all you readers liked it, and that things are getting interesting. Thanks to everyone that gave me feedback and made suggestions. I really appreciate the thought that you are willing to give my story, and the fact that you are willing to share your ideas with me. It's already helped me to make things better. Here is to hoping that I don't let you down. And please, if you have any suggestions, or don't like the story for any reason, let me know. Every little bit helps me write you better stories.  
_


	4. The Slipper

_Chapter 4. Hope that you enjoy._

* * *

When Kyoko awoke very early the next morning it was to the sounds of her stepfamily arriving back at the inn at long last. There was a squabble of noise, none of it pleasant, and Kyoko knew her work had begun. She slipped the glass slipper under her pillow, loath to let it go, and stepped out of the room, quietly shutting the door.

Her stepmother was scolding both daughters for their lack of interest in any of the other party guests. Kyoko interrupted the tirade, smoothed feathers as best she could and helped all three females to their rooms. The landlord, standing on the stair with a worried look stepped back and thanked her quietly.

He would be glad to be rid of these particular guests.

Kyoko ran about helping all three females undress and get settled in bed. Then she started packing and sorting all of the items that had been shifted between rooms. She moved silently so as not to disturb any of the sleeping beauties.

They stayed another night at the inn, and the next morning Kyoko drifted downstairs to settle the bill with the landlord and to have all of the boxes packed on top of their carriage.

"Off at last," the man grumbled under his breath. To his utter dismay the girl paused and looked up at him. Waiting for a scolding he was mortified when tears started to creep out of the corners of her eyes and she began to apologize.

"I know they are such trouble, and difficult to deal with and I tried to take care of them myself and keep them from making too many changes, and I know they were horrible to the girls you sent to help them last night and I really tried but I just couldn't do it on my own and I'm so very, very, very sorry!"

She would have gone on, but he stopped her and apologized for his slip of the tongue. She finished up her business, hurried her charges out the door as soon as they were down the stairs, and bowed once on the way out the door.

The trip back was long and tedious, and no one made mention of Kyoko's appearance at the ball. She stared out the window most of the ride, committing the evening of the ball to memory as perfectly as she could. It had been a nice night, after all. Even dancing with the Prince had been an educational experience.

She only wished that the ball had not been her last chance to be a part of the world.

Kuon paced the floor of the main hall, waiting anxiously for Yukihito's return. His parents watched him, surprised by his behavior. Lory simply smiled in amusement.

Eventually the aide reappeared with a gate guard. The guard looked a little uncomfortable, but made his bow to the monarchs. In one hand he held a glass slipper. Kuon stopped his pacing to stare at the shoe with curiosity.

"This man says that he let the girl in when she arrived and he also saw her leave," Yukihito explained.

"You are?" Kuu asked pleasantly.

"Hikaru Ishibashi, Your Majesty. I've been a guard here for a little under a year."

"Can you tell us what happened? I'm assuming you saw the girl we're looking for."

"It was a little after sunset when I first saw her, Your Majesty. She was standing away from the gate and looking a bit lost. I went to go see what was wrong and she told me that her party had left ahead of her and she didn't have an invitation. Since we had been told that wasn't an issue, Majesty, I led her in."

"As you should have," the queen reassured him with a smile that made Hikaru blush.

"Yes mi'lady. I didn't see her again till she left; I noticed she was carrying her shoes. She didn't call for a carriage and she was leaving all on her own, so I called out to her to see if I could help her find an escort. She suddenly took off running, but she dropped this…"

He held out the slipper carefully in his hand. Kuu nodded to his son who stepped forward as calmly as he could and took the shoe. Kuon held it gingerly in his own hand and stepped back. The guard bowed, still looking a bit anxious.

"Thank you. You were a great help," Kuu dismissed Hikaru and looked again to his son.

"Well," Lory demanded, his smile only more pronounced.

"Father, I'm going to go find her."

"I thought that might be the case. Do you have a plan?"

"She's from the outer districts. Most likely from a noble household from what I could understand from our conversation. Probably a daughter of one of the houses out there."

"Probably?"

"I think I already told you I didn't get her name."

Kuu sighed and his wife patted his hand.

"Why didn't she tell you?" he asked, not expecting a satisfactory answer.

"I have a theory." This came from Lory who was looking like a child with a special secret.

"Enlighten us," Kuu grumbled.

"She didn't want to see him again."

Everyone stopped to look at him.

"I _beg_ your pardon," Kuu questioned. Lory ignored the king's overly defensive response.

"She didn't give him her name, didn't say where she was from, and left right after the dance, even when he had said he would be seeking her out later."

"She might have been shy," Juliena interposed kindly, hoping to ease the sudden tension in her husband and son. Lory snorted.

"Which is why she spent most of the evening talking to every person in sight, including those females who you were so keen on excluding from this little adventure, Queen." Juliena gave him a good glare, but turned back to Kuon.

"Think about this, Kuon. I know you're interested in her, but we don't know who she is. Is this really what you want?" Kuon sighed.

"I don't want anything. Well, I want to fulfill my duty as the Crown Prince, and since I can't seem to fall in love with anyone, I figure it can't hurt me to marry a girl that I don't completely dislike. This looks like it is as good as it will get."

His parents exchanged a worried glance, but said nothing. They had any number of arguments to present to him, but he had heard them before and had made up his mind in spite of them. There was nothing they could do.

"Then I guess you had best get ready to go," Kuu told him. Kuon nodded. "Yukihito, you'll be going with him."

"Of course, Your Ma-"

"Father, I don't need someone to go with me. I can travel on my own just fine."

"Humor me," the king begged. "Yukihito hasn't had a chance to leave the palace in a long time, and I would feel better if you had someone with you. I know you can look after yourself, but you will be gone for a long time."

"Not much longer than a month."

"You'll have to talk with a bunch of scheming mothers," Juliena pointed out. Kuon paused.

"I think it would be best if Yukihito came too," he told his father. Yukihito grimaced.

"Thank you ever so much, Prince," he grumbled. Kuon patted his shoulder and went to pack.

Once the girls had gotten home, Saena confronted Kyoko about her appearance at the ball.

"What on earth were you doing?" she demanded of her stepdaughter. "I told you, _told_ you, that if your dress was not done, you were not to go."

"I'm sorry. But I was able to get a dress, and the invitation did say unless it was impossible, I was supposed to attend."

"Do you have any idea why I told you to stay behind. What did you do while you were there but get yourself involved with all kinds of low, disgusting, immoral-. Do you have any idea what you might have done to us? What people might think of you now?"

Kyoko bit back a response that no one there had seemed to mind very much.

"I was aware of that. That's why I didn't tell anyone who I was, or that I knew you. I figured that you would dislike it."

"And I suppose you had a _wonderful_ time dancing with the Prince." Kyoko tensed.

"He did ask me for a dance, but I was hardly the only girl he invited, or the only one he talked to. I didn't tell him anything either."

"She has a point," Kanae interrupted. "Even I danced with the Prince."

Saena collected herself, but glared at her daughter. Then she turned back to Kyoko.

"You told him _nothing_ about yourself."

"I didn't tell him anything."

Saena stared at her stepdaughter and Kyoko met her eyes calmly. Finally, the older woman stalked away without another word. Kyoko let out a sigh of relief, then went to go and unpack the baggage.

A week after they had gotten home, Kyoko had settled back to her normal routine of keeping the house in order. It seemed that things had returned to their usual pattern.

"Prince Kuon." The prince made a small sound, but did not turn from the window. Yukihito sighed. "You know, you could really help things by showing a bit more interest."

Kuon did turn from the window then, to give Yukihito an incredulous look.

"You want me to be _more_ interested in these girls?" The image of the last household they had visited, it's ambitious daughters, and it's presiding matron flashed through Yukihito's brain and he winced.

"Alright, it would be bad to encourage false hopes. But girls aren't completely simple creatures, Kuon. If want things to go well when you do find the girl you're looking for, you'll need to show that you care."

"I thought I made it abundantly clear to you that I _don't_ care. Not in the way that you're thinking about. She was interesting, and I think she has the ability to be a suitable queen. But I didn't fall in love with her, Yukihito."

"Yes, well that's nice and all, but it might go more smoothly if you didn't tell her that." Kuon frowned.

"Why? It would be better to lie to her?" Yukihito sighed.

"It would be nice if you could at least seem to like her. She knows you about as well as you know her, but girls are much more romantic than men. If she thought you already had feelings for her, it might be better for your relationship in the long run. You are going to marry her, Kuon. This is something you should be taking seriously."

"Oh, the joys of romance," Kuon grumbled. "And what, oh wise one, should I do should she find out about my disinterest?"

"Pray," Yukihito stated in a flat voice. "Women grow and change much more quickly than men. She might not be offended, but if she is, you will be in the middle of a living nightmare."

"Oh, _wonderful_," Kuon groaned. "if I'm getting myself into that much trouble, why we doing this?" Yukihito shrugged.

"You decided to get married. Familial duty and such. I'm just here to make sure nothing happens on the way. Whatever happens is your responsibility, Prince." Kuon turned back to face the window.

"I'm starting to understand why the Duke made such a big deal out of me falling in love," Kuon mumbled.

"He wasn't the only one," Yukihito whispered. But Kuon did not hear.

Rumors began to reach the keep of the Crown Prince traveling the fringes of the kingdom, visiting the outermost holdings. These stories were vague and since neither Kyoko nor her stepsisters were interested in the Prince's movements, they paid attention to the tales.

It was the next rumors that caught the girl's attention. It appeared that His Highness was searching for someone, one of the girls from the final night of the ball. He had nothing to go by but a vague memory of her appearance and a shoe, but he was trying the item on all of the girls he met, just to make sure.

"I don't get it. How can you use a shoe to find a girl? Plenty of people have really similar feet," Kanae grumbled as the household sat after dinner in the bookroom, reading, stitching, and lounging.

"I heard that the slipper was glass," Chiori commented. Kyoko dropped her needle.

"It was what?" Kanae demanded.

"Made of glass. That was what the neighbors said, who live just to the east. I think he started his visits there and moved further east and then south for the search."

"So he'll get here last?"

"Well, if he comes. He might find her before that. Or get tired of traveling and looking for a girl using a shoe," Chiori pointed out. Kyoko had found her needle and crouched lower over her work. Saena watched Kyoko with a large degree of irritation.

A couple of weeks passed and the rumors persisted. Kanae and Chiori had a number of bets going as to who the girl might be. Saena was colder than usual to her stepdaughter, and Kyoko simply tried to stay out of everyone's way.

Eventually, a missive reached the house stating that the Crown Prince was in the area and desirous to meet with the family and household. He would be arriving on the stated date with the Special Advisor to the Royal Family, Yukihito Yashiro, and they hoped to take up no more than one day of the family's time.

Saena threw herself into ordering Kyoko to prepare for the guests. She was also constantly harassing her daughters, snapping at their unreserved conversation and forbidding them from any of their more unladylike habits. Both girls found the experience frustrating and wondered if the Prince would not think they were stupid.

Kyoko worked every day until she could barely move anymore. She cleaned the entire keep from top to bottom. She planned for any meals that might be necessary and tried to think of how she would find time to assemble them.

She was feeling much less than charitable towards the Prince.

The day of the Prince's arrival dawned and Kyoko woke extra early to do a quick surface cleaning before making breakfast. She set the table for her step-family and was serving food when the other women arrived. Not long after they had been seated, Saena addressed her.

"You will remain in your room for the rest of today, unless I personally tell you otherwise. There is no need to you to wait on us."

All three of the girls stared at her.

"Mother, I don't think-" Chiori was cut off with a cold glance.

"What will we tell our guests?" Kanae asked.

"We will simply tell the Prince that we have no servants and that we get along on our own. It's perfectly true. And if he plans to stay the night, I will make appropriate adjustments."

Her daughters shared a worried look, but Kyoko merely nodded to her stepmother and left. Kanae and Chiori escaped as soon as the meal was over to discuss this change of events.

"It doesn't make any sense," Chiori stated for the fifth time. "I mean, getting Kyoko out of the way seems reasonable. Mother would rather Kyoko died than get married to anyone. And it would be really bad if the Crown Prince were to find out how she was being treated."

"I don't think he'd care," Kanae pointed out in an acerbic tone. Chiori shrugged.

"Well, you would know better than I would. But still, that adviser is coming too. He might care."

"That's always possible."

"But anyway, I still think the strangest thing is that she doesn't plan on inviting the Prince to stay. It doesn't seem like he would invite himself, especially since he won't be here very long with just the two of us to meet."

"It might be because of Kyoko. She's a liability, and the longer he stays here, the higher the chances he'd see her."

"That's true," Chiori conceded. "She wouldn't ever let Kyoko marry the Prince, and she never really even pretended she thought we could catch him. I guess she wants this over with as quickly as possible."

"Selfish hag."

Kyoko had retreated to her room, the only room still in use in the upper levels of the house. She had the topmost tower all to herself. She kept it clean without too much trouble, and because there were so many stairs between her room and the ground floor, it was the safest place to avoid her step-family when life simply became too much for her.

The only window provided her a good view of the drive leading up to the door, so a few hours later when the Crown Prince arrived with his attendant, Kyoko was the first to see them.

It was hard to tell from this distance, but both looked weary, bored, and irate. She knew they would not find what they were looking for and hoped that they would leave right away. It was a waste of everyone's time for them to be here. Her stepmother would not allow her to leave this house, not even for the Crown Prince.

As Kuon and Yukihito got out, they both looked at the keep skeptically. They were tired, their trip had been long, and it had been full of desperate women. This building, while clearly the home of a noble house, was not looking well taken care of. It seemed almost haunted, and filled both men with foreboding.

"Do you think she's here?" Yukihito asked making a face at the vines crawling up towards the second floor's windows. "This _is_ the last place."

"I know it is. But I'm really hoping she isn't here. Actually, I'm hoping that no one's here, and we don't have to walk inside. Do you think they'll have cobwebs? And skulls?"

"It can't be that bad," Yukihito protested, but his face betrayed his lie. "But if she is here, you can guess she'll be happy that you've saved her from this place."

"I suppose."

"Just be nice to her," Yukihito begged suddenly, and Kuon turned to his friend in surprise.

"Was I ever not nice on this little adventure?"

"There was that one house..."

"That mother stood in front of the door and demanded that I try the shoe on all thirteen of her daughters again, just to make sure. You wanted to leave that place as badly as I did, so don't you dare make that face at me."

"Alright, you were fairly justified. But please, at least smile. She really should be here."

"Unless she was a figment of my imagination."

"You weren't drunk, and plenty of other people saw her too, including your parents, the Duke, and myself."

"Well, then I guess she will be here."

"You could be a little excited about this. We did come all this way to find her for you, after all."

"I'll do my best," Kuon promised as he approached the door.

The door was opened by Saena herself, who gave him an apologetic smile as she asked him and his companion to come in. Both men were relieved to see that the inside of the house looked neat, if it did not feel very inviting. When he and Yukihito had both been given a chance to freshen up, they were led into the bookroom.

"I apologize," she explained as Kuon and Yukihito looked at the two girls seated already in the room with skepticism. "I know your message said you wished to meet with the household, but I'm afraid you won't find anyone other than the family here. We had let our workers go. And we live more comfortably like this."

Kuon was fairly sure he remembered the two girls and they were certainly _not_ the female he was looking for. The taller one met his gaze with a glare and his conviction was strengthened.

"That's fine," Yukihito responded, waving the comment aside and looking to Kuon for support. He found the prince now staring out the window, ignoring everyone. Turning back to Saena he said simply, "That should make our work here short. I've no doubt you've heard any number of rumors about why we are here."

"Some. I understand that you are looking for one of the girls that attended the ball, and you have some sort of unique footwear…" She looked at him questioningly and he held out the glass slipper for her to see. She nodded without too much surprise and did not touch the object.

"I'm afraid it is rather important that we find the shoe's owner. We've been trying it on all of the young women of the household, just to be fair. I'm sure you could tell us if your daughter's wore glass slippers or not, but…"

Saena curtsied lightly and gestured to her offspring.

"They will certainly oblige you."

Her tone left no room for argument, though both girls resented the idea of being forced to try and shove their foot into someone else's shoe. And glass? That would be painful.

But both sat patiently as the other removed their own shoe and presented her foot to Yukihito. He tried as best as he could to be careful, but while Chiori could actually fit her foot into the shoe, it was a very tight squeeze for her toes and she winced all the time it was on her foot. He removed it quickly and apologized. Kanae could not get the slipper over her heel.

"I'm very sorry that we've taken up your time," Yukihito tried to excuse himself and his companion with a gesture of his hand. "I hope you have not been put too much out of your way. We will be off immediately." Saena nodded and her daughters exchanged a significant glance. But they missed the gleam in her eyes.

"I wonder, sirs, if I should…"

"Yes?"

"There is one other girl in the house."

"Another-. Why isn't she with you?"

"My stepdaughter was not supposed to attend the ball for various reasons, so I did not think you would wish to see her, but if you should still like to check…"

"Couldn't attend the ball?" Yukihito was clearly confused.

"If I could retrieve her for you, I'm sure she could explain."

"Very well."

"It will take a few moments. She might not wish to come down right away."

"Yes… well then, if you please."

Saena left the room, her daughters staring after her in shock. Yukihito studied their faces curiously, but Kuon was still staring out the window, the desire to leave this place written obscurely on his face, though Yukihito knew him well enough to read it when he checked on the prince.

As she travelled up the many stairs, Saena paused in a little used room and rummaged through some trunks before she produced a dull brown dress. She took this with her as she climbed the many remaining stairs, certain that this journey would elevate her in more ways than one.

She did not wish to give up this property, and she had no desire to see Kyoko better established than herself. But she was not a complete fool, and if the chit could catch the eye of the Crown Prince, Saena would use that for all it was worth.

"Put that on," she demanded, storming into Kyoko's room without so much as a single knock. Kyoko dropped the book she was reading and looked at the dress in her lap with astonishment. It was clean and respectable, though it was not very nice. "You don't have time to dawdle. The Prince and one of the king's advisors are downstairs waiting to meet you. That infernal shoe you wore to the ball has given you away and you will meet them."

"How-"

"I am not an idiot. I also saw the shoes when you were dancing."

"But why must I come down now?"

"There was no reason to bring you down if the stories had been exaggerated and it was just a simple shoe. But it is glass and I know you still have the other one. Don't bother with anything but brushing your hair. The story is that you have strong feelings left over from your father's death and you don't enjoy company much anymore. When we left for the ball, you were still unable to even rouse yourself from bed; the journey had fatigued you too much. You prepared yourself later and arrived on your own. We did not know you had arrived, and you did not seek us out in such a crowd. If he questions you on this for any reason, once you had begun speaking with _those_ females, you felt it best not to speak with us. Are we clear?"

"Yes."

Saena looked Kyoko over and pursed her lips.

"You will be as silent as you ever are in my presence. Answer only the questions they direct at you personally. Do _not_ shame me." Kyoko nodded and clasped her hands gently in front of her to stop their trembling.

Yashiro was sitting anxiously and Kuon still looking out the window when Saena and Kyoko entered. Kuon gave the new girl a cursory glance, but did not seem impressed with what he saw and did not acknowledge her.

Kyoko resisted the urge to glower at him. Were all men so arrogant, or was it only the spoiled, rich ones?

She curtsied prettily to Yukihito as she was introduced and he was impressed. For all that she had an unassuming, disheveled appearance, there was a certain grace to her that he liked. And there seemed to be something more behind her eyes.

"I apologize to both you and His Highness," she murmured. "I'm afraid I was not very forward with my stepmother and ended up at the ball without her knowledge."

"How did this happen?"

"After my father's death, I've had some difficulty being at social functions. When my stepmother and sisters left for the ball, I was not ready at all, and I did not think I would be able to attend. It was a few hours later that I revived and managed to get ready. They were not expecting me and with such a crowd…"

She looked away, embarrassed and Yukihito tried to reassure her.

"That's just fine. We are just here to see if this particular slipper fits. If you would please?"

"Of course."

Part of Kyoko hoped that for whatever reason the shoe would not fit. That she would be able to escape the danger of what the next several minutes would bring. But this wish was not to be granted.

As Yukihito took her foot gently, the slipper moved into place effortlessly, almost as if he was not even guiding it. The cool sensation on her foot made her stomach drop, but she kept her face carefully blank.

At both her stepsister's gasps the Prince turned to look at her and saw the shoe sitting perfectly on her foot. She gave Yukihito a weak smile, removed the shoe, and admitted, "I have the other one upstairs if you'd like to make doubly sure."

Her voice held only the slightest quiver and Yukihito was not sure what to make of it. At the very least, she did not seem happy. He caught her glancing over at her stepmother and peeked at the older woman. He did not like the look on her face.

Kuon, realizing what she had said moved from the window to kneel in front of her and Yukihito stood to give him more room. Kuon took her hand and looked into her face, suddenly as interested as if she were the only person in the room. Her hand trembled with suppressed anger at his sudden change in attitude.

"Yes it is you! Wonderful! Of course we would take the long way around, but here you are, at last. This is perfect. We will leave immediately and be back at the palace in no time. Then I can introduce you to my parents and we will be married!" Kuon told her excitedly.

His face certainly looked earnest, and the smile he was giving her had melted more than a hundred maiden hearts. Yukihito was sure this settled it.

But Kyoko was not a girl to be taken in any longer by such empty smiles, and she had not forgotten the look on his face when she entered the room. She frowned at him.

"No." Kuon blinked and Saena's face went white with rage.

"No?"

"No."

"You're serious?" Kuon was stunned. Yukihito could not decide whether to laugh or not. Kyoko's eyes narrowed.

"Of course."

"But… you can't be serious."

Kyoko's face could rival Saena's in ferocity. Without allowing herself to think about the action, she slammed the glass slipper over Kuon's head with all the strength she possessed. The article shattered over the royal skull and Kuon jerked back, his eyes out of focus for a moment. Kanae's jaw dropped and Chiori covered her mouth to suppress a gasp. When Kuon had his bearings again and looked her in the face, Kyoko began a tirade.

"How dare you! I am perfectly serious and if you can't believe that you're even more arrogant than I imagined! You set up a ball where you invite every woman in the kingdom, as if you could just gather together a buffet of woman and you could pick a bride from it. Then you have the audacity to come out here, dragging your poor associate, who does all the work for you, and _declare_ that I _will_ marry you as soon as you remove me from my house, which in fact, will be _immediately_! What did you think I would say? That I had fallen in love with you in the few minutes that we danced? And on top of all that, you have no idea what my circumstances are! I'm needed _here_! Who do you think you are?"

She was breathing very heavily at this point, her anger still growing as he stared at her incredulously. Kanae and Chiori were torn between pride in their stepsister and fear of the look on their mother's face. Yukihito was torn as well, between amusement and concern. He would have plenty of chances to laugh with Duke Takarada over Kuon's predicament before this was over, but right now, his biggest concern was for this audacious female.

"I see," Kuon said mildly, rising and brushing a few pieces of broken glass from his shoulder. "I apologize then. I hope we haven't wasted too much of your time."

Kyoko colored slightly and looked away, finally catching sight of her stepmother. All the color drained from her face and Kuon was surprised by the look of terror he suddenly saw there. He glanced to his right to see what had frightened her and was a little taken aback by Saena's fury. He was angry at this girl for making a fool out of him, but the older woman looked capable of murder. He scrambled for a way to ease her temper.

"Yukihito," His aide looked up. "We need to be going now. We've taken up a great deal of their time and we do have work waiting for us at home. Mi'lady," he took Kyoko's hand again and bowed over it. "I hope that this is not the last time we meet. If you ever feel up to society again, I would be happy to have a visit from you. If it is convenient, of course."

He gave her the warmest smile he could. She gave him a doubtful look and simply nodded, not trusting her words at this moment. He made his bow to her stepmother and then her stepsisters, and in a moment he and Yukihito had both left.

Kyoko looked down at her hands, clasped in her lap, and tried to become invisible. If this was the good that was supposed to come out of her having gone to the ball, she would gladly give up anything she had to go back in time and refuse the offer. After a long silence, Saena spoke.

"Return to your room. I'll deal with you later."

* * *

_Many thanks to my beta who has stuck with me so far. And to my reviewers. You make all the editing and banging my head against the wall worth it.  
_

_Special thanks to _melay8_. Your review really made my day.  
_


	5. To the Palace

_Chapter five. Hope that you like it._

_Oh yes, and by the way, now that we are five chapters into this, I don't own Skip Beat, or the Cinderella story. I don't even have a monopoly on the crazy that makes me write the things that I do. I own basically nothing..._

* * *

Yukihito was amused as he and the prince began their journey back, pondering over the interesting scene that had occurred in that haunted mansion. But he might not have have found it quite as funny if he had been paying closer attention to his charge. Kuon's humor at the irony of his situation and his minute triumph at teasing the girl were slowly being overcome by his deepest feelings of incompetence.

He tried to ignore them, and managed to maintain a blank look as they started on the way back. But her rejection stung him. Once again, he had failed to meet even the base standard. He was not good enough, not only as the heir to the kingdom, but as a man. He could not even manage the common sense that was a prerequisite to humanity.

What good was he, after all?

Back at the keep, Kyoko was not allowed out of her room for the rest of the day. She sat in her tower, staring out her window, wondering what would come next. Part of her felt guilty for hitting the Prince over the head. For all that he seemed like he needed a good beating, she had probably hurt him. The slipper had broken after all.

But then she would remember his face and his words and her anger would flare to life again. Why had she wasted a perfectly good magically gifted slipper on such a man?

And now she only had one left. Only half of the memory of that night. And only half of the happiness. Everything else had been lost, probably forever.

The following morning, Saena climbed to the tower again, and once more opened the door without knocking. Kyoko still sat at the window, this time with the remaining slipper in her hand. She did not turn around when the door opened, though she did hear it.

She did not need to face the woman to know what Saena's intentions were.

"What were you thinking?" the older woman hissed. Kyoko turned to glance at her stepmother, trying to keep the despair off of her face.

"I couldn't marry him," she whispered with no conviction.

"No, of course you couldn't marry him. It would have been too good for you. Too perfect!"

"That wasn't what I meant," she despaired. "I really don't think it would have worked out."

"He came here and asked for you, for _you_, and you threw him away. As if you could find a prince willing to marry you anywhere in the world!"

"I didn't mea-"

"Do you have any idea how much I risked, bringing you down there? You have never been out in society and suddenly appear in it only to be seen with the basest of females in front of swarms of people. Do you have any idea the kind of insults I might have had to endure? Do you understand how horrible it could have been for me?"

"You could have left me," Kyoko suggested softly. Saena snorted.

"The Crown Prince had come personally to find a girl with a glass slipper. His father let him leave the palace almost all alone. Was I supposed to give that up? If you had married the Prince, you would be living in the palace, and I wouldn't have to leave this house. And it would have opened all kinds of doors… But no. You had to stick your nose up into the air and declare that _your_ preference was more important than that of royalty."

"He didn't really want me," Kyoko tried to explain.

"You mean he wasn't _in love_ with you. Stupid, stupid girl! Who said that he had to be?"

Kyoko hung her head and whispered quietly, "I'm sorry." Saena was silent for a moment.

"You utterly disgraced all of us. The Prince not only left without you, he mocked you for your impudence. Why should you have married him? For our sake, if nothing else. No one is interested in your opinion. Can you imagine how your sisters would have benefited if you had had the decency to accept?" The words were clipped and cold.

Kyoko did not bother to point out that Saena had no real interest in her daughters' progression in society, except as it concerned her.

"You will leave here. Today. We have no further need of you." Saena turned to leave, grabbing the door. "Your father would have been ashamed," she threw back as she slammed it shut.

A single tear slid down Kyoko's face before she stood and began to pack her few things. She was ready to leave within the hour.

Kanae and Chiori were beyond furious at this turn of events. They could not revoke their mother's command, but this, they were certain, was going too far. Kyoko chose to be a servant in her own house, and they would accept that. But Kyoko was still a nobleman's daughter, and you did not just throw those kinds of people away.

"Mother, this is ridiculous. Kyoko's the only person who works here. We can't actually live without her," Chiori pointed out.

"I can hire a servant or two. It would be less demeaning than keeping that brat here in my house."

"It isn't your house," Kanae growled. "It's hers. It always has been and it always will be."

Saena gave her daughter a cold look.

"Unless she were to marry, the house would pass to my branch of the family after her death, making you and your children the heirs."

"Oh yes, and you are so likely to outlive her! And Chiori and I are so much more likely to be married than Kyoko is!"

"Were you planning on making things difficult?" Saena demanded.

"Did you think we lived our lives to oblige you," Kanae retorted. "Kyoko may worship at your feet and wish that you would even look at her, but we're not that desperate. And even she had enough courage to refuse your will that idiot who came to take her away!" Saena's face darkened, but her daughter was too moved by her own fury to care.

"It seems I have not taught you how to hold your tongue well enough," the older woman breathed softly. Chiori and Kanae both glowered at her.

"What makes you think you ever taught us anything?" Chiori asked as Kanae nodded next to her.

"What did you just say?"

"You never taught us anything. Oh, you gave us a tutor and threw us into all kinds of social situations and yelled at us if we didn't do what you wanted. The only thing that you _taught_ us was why girls try and escape their families by marrying early."

"Well, then I guess it's a good thing then, that your stepsister is escaping my… influence. Isn't it?"

"She isn't getting married, she's being thrown away! You can't just throw her out. She's your responsibility! She's our sister!" Kanae shouted.

"She's a noble. Do you realize what will happen to you when people find out? The Prince has seen her, and so did that adviser. She was at the ball!"

"She will go back to her old, invisible self. No one will care. Especially not the Prince, now that she has rejected him."

The sisters disagreed, but could not prevail over their mother.

Saena watched in imperious silence as Kyoko finally came downstairs carrying a small case of luggage.

"Kyoko, don't." It was the closest that Kanae had ever come to begging.

But Kyoko only gave a final curtsy to her tiny audience, and then walked out the front doors without looking back. Saena turned to the bookroom, but Kanae and Chiori stood there a while longer, looking at each other and wondering what they could do.

"Can't we tell anyone," Chiori suggested.

"Who? No one knows her anymore. And we haven't exactly spent our time making good friends with the neighbors."

"But this sort of thing-"

"They won't believe it. No one would. Even our mother shouldn't be this crazy."

"Do you think she'll be alright?"

"She'd better be." Kanae's gaze was full of malice as it hit the bookroom door.

Kyoko's journey was not easy. She could not ask anyone nearby for a ride, since they all knew who she was and might raise a cry against what she was doing. But even more than obeying her stepmother's command, Kyoko could not stay in that house any longer. Too many good memories had been tainted. Too many horrors had attacked her there.

It was not home anymore.

She traveled along a back road for most of the day, trying to avoid people, and slept inside a barn that night. She was very tired, but days full of work made it easier for her to carry her luggage across the miles. She woke as early as she could and started again. She had only a little food and had to ration it.

Three days later she reached the first inn she and her family had stayed in on their trip to the capital. She was far enough removed from home by this point that the innkeeper had not suspected the first time that she was anything other than a servant of the household, and so while he was surprised at seeing her now, he was not tempted to send her back.

She did not bother to correct his assumption on who she was. Rather, she told him she had been thrown from the house and allowed him to assume that Saena, demon of a woman that she was, had done so for spite. He agreed to let her stay the night if she would help with various tasks.

When the morning came, she was unsure whether to stay. She was still near to what had been home, and if she stayed too close, things might turn out badly. She told the innkeeper that she was hoping to find work closer to the capital and he immediately suggested a distant cousin's inn. She might have passed it on her way to the ball last time? She had stayed there? Excellent. He was sending some supplies out that way and she could ride with the carrier, his niece and her husband.

Traveling elsewhere, Yukihito had begun to notice the prince's reticence and began to be concerned.

"Highness, is something wrong?" Kuon looked up from the table at the inn where they were resting.

"What?"

"Is there something wrong with your food? You aren't touching it."

"I'm not hungry." Yukihito sighed.

"You're never hungry. That doesn't mean you shouldn't eat. Besides, you never eat during the day when you travel so that you don't get sick. You have to eat you supper."

Kuon looked at the food on his plate and made a face as he realized there was not a single dish in front of him that was not heavy red meat, drenched in some sort of gravy, or, most often, both. The only safe looking object was a piece of bread, which he proceeded to munch on.

"Is it really a problem if I don't eat?" Kuon asked as he tore off another bite of the bread.

"Well, given that humans starve and die when they don't eat, yes Kuon, it would be a problem." Kuon smiled mildly at his companion.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to make you that upset."

"I am not upset."

"You called me Kuon. You only stop using my title when you want to drop me in a river."

"Then I apologize. I should not have been so disrespectful." His distant tone made Kuon sigh.

"Do you think you could?"

"Could what?"

"Drop me in a river."

"Right now? Well, given a distinct lack of river..."

"Would you? If there was a river."

"Why?" Yukihito asked, completely perplexed.

"Just seems like a good idea," Kuon tossed back casually. Yukihito watched the prince carefully, but could not tell if he was joking or not.

"It is a _very_ bad idea. Not only would the king kill _me_ for letting you die, everyone in the kingdom would say that you killed yourself after suffering the agonizing pangs of a broken heart and a vicious rejection."

"No dignity in death even," Kuon groused. "Well, I suppose that's what you get for asking a violent child to marry you."

"She might have been a bit aggressive when you made her angry, but she wasn't a child, Kuon."

"You're doing it again. But you aren't angry this time. Am I about to get a lecture?"

"I'm just saying, she isn't a child."

"She was, what, seventeen. Maybe eighteen. That's fairly young, Yukihito."

"Only four years different from you. And you're forgetting what I said earlier. Girl's grow up faster than boys do. Especially under difficult circumstances."

"Because she was living _such_ a difficult life."

"Did you _not_ see her mother?" Yukihito asked with a raised brow. Kuon shuddered suddenly and shook his head.

"Alright, that woman is a demon. And her daughter is probably less than happy to have her as a mother. It would have been a brilliant rescue."

"Stepmother, Kuon. Were you not paying attention to anything that was said?"

"Not much. I still don't know her name." Yukihito was about to begin scolding about this as well when he suddenly paused.

"She never gave it," he whispered. He looked at Kuon with no small amount of amusement. "You travel the fringes of the entire kingdom, barely manage find her, and she still didn't give you her name."

Kuon smiled as best he could.

"This really wasn't meant to be, was it?"

"It certainly seems to be a condemned relationship. Maybe it's better this way."

"It can't be worse," Kuon grumbled, settling back into a dark humor. Yukihito opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it.

In the meantime, Kyoko seemed to be having a continuation of bad luck. By the generosity of those that she met, she was given a place to stay for any work that she was willing to do. But the jobs were only ever temporary. Eventually she would be sent on in some small cart, and in this way Kyoko made her way slowly but surely to the capital city. Various innkeepers that got to know her but had no space left or no money to hire her sent Kyoko on with high recommendations, sad that they could not afford such a hardworking girl.

In the capital, she spent a week working at the inn where she had stayed during the ball before the innkeeper told her directly that he would not be able to keep her as he had hoped.

"The ball threw things off a bit. I made some extra then, so you'll get your wages. But I can't keep you, like I thought I might."

"I understand. I'll look somewhere else in town."

"Actually, I think your best bet would be to head on up to the palace."

"The palace?" It was not Kyoko's first choice. Or even her last one. The palace was distinctly _not_ on her list of places that she was willing to work.

"They can always use extra help, and the pay is good enough. And there really isn't any work around here anymore. There were some jobs during that ball, but now even the cleanup is finished, and there just isn't a safe place for you to look. My brother works at the palace, as the head chef. I can recommend you to him. You've got enough sense, he should like you. He's picky about who he lets work on the food in his kitchen. It's fair, since he serves the king and all. And with the His Majesty's appetite, you have to know how to cook all kinds of food." Kyoko gave a weak smile to what she assumed was supposed to have been a joke.

"Do you think your brother could use my help?"

"Even if he won't let you cook, there's always other things needing to be done. It's your best option."

She thanked him and prepared, with no small amount of trepidation, to move once again.

* * *

_And there it is. Thanks again for all the reviews. I think I surprised a few people last chapter with my very literal explanation of where the title came from. I hope that it was an exciting surprise. Praises again to Will, who probably has more right to mock me than any other person on the planet (seriously, you should see this stuff before she gets her hands on it x_x) and who is still working through this with me. One day, I will learn how to type the things that I really mean to say and she will no longer have to try and interpret the workings of my brain vomited onto a screen at one in the morning for the benefit of the general populous. Or not. Thanks Will._


	6. Home Coming

_And here is chapter six. I hope that you enjoy._

* * *

Kuon's return to the palace went unnoticed by most of the house.

"Tell my parents what happened, would you. I think I'm going to go rest," he told Yukihito as he turned to head inside.

"You should have tried to sleep more at night. I didn't think the inns were that uncomfortable."

"They were fine, but I'm not felling very well. This trip was worse than the others I've been on."

"You don't have that delicate of a constitution, do you?"

"It was my head," Kuon admitted. "It made me queasy. And it still hurts. I don't think the lump has quite gone away," he told his friend, touching the top of his head gingerly.

"Just don't sleep too late. Your parents will want to see you for dinner."

"I know."

Yukihito entered a bookroom that was part of the royal family's private suite. There he found both their Majesties and Duke Takarada, conversing quietly. All three of them looked up when he knocked and entered. He made his bow and was amused at their immediate demand of, "So?"

"The Prince has retired already. He has a bit of a headache still."

"Country girls bore him that much?" Lory teased.

"Recovering from a head injury, actually." All three of them looked up in surprise, his parents with more than a little concern.

"Head injury?" Juliena's voice quivered, but Yukihito only smiled.

"We found the girl," The king and queen lit up suddenly.

"Did he save her from some horrible accident? Is that how he got hurt?" Kuu asked. Yukihito shook his head.

"No. She refused him. She said she wasn't interested in his proposition and that he was horrible. Then she read him the most impressive lecture I have ever seen a young woman give."

"She read him a lecture?" Juliena asked with a note of wonder.

"She sounds interesting, at least," Lory commented. "Was she pretty?"

"She wasn't hideous, but she wasn't a beauty. And she was dressed rather sloppily."

"But you still liked her," Lory pressed.

"Well, it's hard to not like a girl with as much spunk as she had. And there was something to her, for all that she did not look very well put together. She had a dignity, I think, that was rather impressive. Actually, it reminded me of you, Queen."

"But, if he didn't do anything to save her, how did he get a head injury?" Kuu questioned, most concerned with his son. Yukihito could not conceal a grin.

"When he didn't believe her refusal, she hit him over the head with the slipper and broke it."

There was a stunned silence. Then Lory snorted while their majesties exchanged a worried look.

"She broke it. On his head?" Lory checked. Yukihito nodded. Lory snorted again then began to laugh. The looks on Kuu and Juliena's faces spoke clearly of their disapproval of his amusement, but Yukihito was glad he was not the only one who found this funny. "Hardheaded brat!" Lory cackled.

Prince Kuon was the son of two extraordinarily attractive people. Even if there was a man who could come close to Kuu's magnificence, there was not a woman alive who held a candle to Juliena. As such, their child, from the moment he was born, had enchanted people. As he had grown older he had gathered a large number of admirers, and it seemed impossible as time went on for him to receive a proper set down from anyone. It did not help that he was also the heir to a kingdom and the only child of the king and queen. He would receive a great inheritance. His manners in public were gracious, for all that he was very spoiled in front of his close acquaintance, and made him appealing to most of the people that he interacted with.

"So, I'm to understand that some girl from the fringes of society with no social experience and no connections has rejected my son?" Kuu's voice was cold and Juliena smacked his hand, resting on the arm of his chair.

"Kuu, we like girls that don't fall down at Kuon's feet. They have character. And they're more likely to really love him."

"She rejected him and called him a fool," Kuu whined. "My glorious, magnificent offspring, denied by some backwater-"

"Kuu!" The censure in Juliena's voice stopped him before he could start his usual tirade. "Be nice. You've never met the girl. Yukihito hasn't said anything bad about her, and it is _not _a crime to not want to marry our son. I think I like her the better for it," the queen mused.

"She rejected my son! What kind of girl rejects Kuon?" Juliena and Lory exchanged a glance and Yukihito tried to calm the king.

"Your Majesty, I don't think it was simple. She was young, after all, and probably a little romantic. And Kuon was not at his best when they first met."

"Why should that matter?" demanded the king. "What girl wouldn't fall in love with my son even if he isn't 'at his best' when she first sees him?"

"I think you might have felt differently if you had been there, Majesty."

"Impossible! My son is-"

"Enough," Lory interrupted them both. "Please, Kuu. We know you love your son. Why he was rejected isn't important at this point. The real issue is what Kuon is going to do now."

"Do you think she broke his heart?" Kuu asked, suddenly worried. Yukihito snorted and Lory gave Kuu an unamused look.

"No Kuu, she didn't break his heart." _It's already broken..._

While Lory was amused by this unknown girl's spirited response, he was worried. His fears were confirmed when Kuon came down for supper that night and would not speak of the trip except in short sentences. He did not refer to the rejection at all. He was just as unhelpful the next morning at breakfast and declared as soon as he had finished his small meal that he was going riding.

He did not need an escort.

In a small room tucked behind the kitchen of the inn, Kyoko looked in the mirror one last time as the girl who had helped her let out yet another sad sigh.

Kyoko had cut her hair off to shoulder length and had had the girl help strip most of the color out of it. Given the time she had, it had only lightened to an auburn shade, but she figured that would be enough to disguise her for the time being. She did not really believe that the Prince or his adviser would recognize her, or even see her in the depths of the kitchen, but she was taking no chances.

She made her way to the palace and was admitted by a side entrance. Kyoko was then taken to the kitchen where she was introduced to the head chef.

"This is the girl that your brother recommended," her escort told the man before disappearing, leaving Kyoko alone with her potential employer.

The chef was a sight to behold, a strong and stoic figure with short cropped hair and a careful eye on the work that was in front of him. He moved quickly and efficiently, carefully chopping away at a pile of vegetables. When he paused to look at her she felt herself being intensely scrutinized.

"I'm sorry to bother you in the middle of your work. My name is Kyoko."

The man continued to stare at her, saying nothing. Kyoko met his gaze, trying to dampen her fear.

"Can you cook?" His voice was close to a growl, but something in Kyoko relaxed when she heard it. When she had walked in she had seen him working very hard. He was a professional, and proud of what he did.

"Yes. I can cook a variety of dishes. I also know how to take care of the knives that I use. And I'm good at cleaning up after myself."

"You come from up north?"

"Yes," she answered, trying to keep her voice steady. She was not there anymore, no one here knew her, she was moving on…

"You can cook northern foods?"

"Yes. I can."

"And you can teach me?" Kyoko blinked.

"I-if you'd like. I should be able to."

"More like I'll need you to than not. The king eats more food in one sitting than ten men do in a day. We have to keep increasing our dishes." Kyoko wanted to believe this was an exaggeration, but something about the man in front of her told her that he was telling the exact truth.

"I think I should be able to give you something you can use. Most of the recipes are fairly filling too, since we have such cold winters." The chef nodded.

"Can you cook lighter foods?"

"Yes. I can cook all sorts of things."

"Show me."

He pointed to the board where he had been chopping vegetables before she had stopped him. Looking around she took in all of the other ingredients laying out, sifting through her memory for what they could make. Then she got to work.

She did not realize when the chef joined her, and she did not notice the incredulous stares that the other workers in the kitchen gave her.

It was not until the noon meal was announced that she realized she had been working so long. She looked to the head chef.

"Time for a break," he told her, washing his hands. "We'll have plenty of work to do for supper. Now we eat."

Kyoko nodded mutely. She was still unsure of her position, and she did not want to have to leave just yet.

A kind faced woman approached them and smiled at Kyoko.

"My wife," the chef said by way of introduction. Kyoko bobbed a quick curtsy.

"Come, sit with us," the wife said. "You must be tired. It will only be a short break, but it will help. After we finish our own meal tonight, I'll help get you settled."

"I can stay?" Kyoko asked, confused. The woman's smile grew slightly.

"We have work that needs to be done and you can do it. Welcome to the palace."

Once she got used to her new life, nothing seemed to be too different than what Kyoko had been doing at home, but she did not want to get in anyone's way. Here, she would not be working alone and she wanted to make sure that she did not add to anyone else's work.

Kyoko ended up taking on most of the extra tasks that needed tending. Not only did she help with the regular cooking, but she helped to clean and repair the kitchen. She took care of dishes and silverware, cleaned rags and uniforms, and helped with any other little tasks. The rats that the palace cats caught and left about, she was the one who dealt with those. She kept the floors swept, brought in loads of new food, hauled boxes, and reorganized storerooms without a single complaint.

It was not long before she found favor in the eyes of all of the older staff, not just the head chef. Her tasks began to take her out of the kitchen and around the palace. Kyoko was passed to and fro between the cleaning staff, the repair staff, the library staff, and others. Her other skills became known and she ran errands for clerks, helped with transcribing accounts, and once wrote out formal invitations.

She developed a fondness for the head chef and his wife. Her unassuming manners and diligence impressed the man, and his wife was a sweet woman who constantly looked after Kyoko.

This proved to be an invaluable friendship because most of the younger staff did not take to her at all.

"Who does she think she is?"

"Where did she learn all this stuff anyway?"

"She thinks she's better than us, you know. Always working extra and cozying up to the head staff."

"They think she's an _angel_!"

"Well I'm sure I've never seen such a plain looking, boring thing in my life."

"She doesn't talk to anyone. How did she even get here? She's not related to anyone."

"Where did she come from? Why does she hide it?"

"I'll bet she's a runaway."

"Or she was a wh-"

The conversation ended as the head of the cleaning staff passed by the group of gossiping girls. She glared at the huddle and they scampered to their various chores.

Similar things were said of her by many others, but Kyoko ignored them. She was used to pretending to be invisible and if things ever became difficult, she could take refuge in the kitchen. There she would be protected and treated kindly by two people who would have taken her for their own daughter if she would have let them.

She simply worked hard, did not complain, and tried to stay out of everyone's way.

"You're in charge of the Prince's supper tonight," the head chef told her one evening as she was getting ready.

"Sir?"

"I usually work on his food separate, since he's pickier than a spoiled child. But the king has some guests tonight, and I have to make sure their food is prepped special."

"What should I cook?"

"Air," the chef told her with an irate grumble. Kyoko tried to think what that could possibly have offended her employer so much, but could think of nothing. So she thought about the problem for a moment, then smiled with inspiration and went to work.

It seemed like the Prince was not a fan of a heavy meal, so she would have to get creative. Even if she had no respect for the arrogant royal, she would give him her best. She would show him. She had spent a healthy portion of her life looking after a needy and whiny crowd. She could do this with her eyes closed.

Kuon watched the dishes being brought to the table that night and fought to keep his face composed. Meat, meat, heavy sauce, more meat, root vegetables... in gravy, meat, more meat, fishy meat, fowl meat, more root vegetables, this time in what had to be a sickly sweet sauce (probably for the special guests), and more meat. His stomach turned and he prepared for a long meal. If he was not focusing on his food, he was going to have to converse with the young lady seated next to him. He was not sure what task bothered him more.

"Highness," a servant mumbled, placing several small dishes in front him. Kuon looked down to see a light soup, a small salad, and several other relatively harmless looking dishes. He stared at them for several minutes in confusion. As far as he knew, the longstanding war between himself and the head chef had not been brought to a close. Kuon would admit the man could cook good food, but was not willing to eat more than a few bites of it. The chef was willing to serve Kuon his best, most filling dishes, and forcefully change the boys appetite into a more healthy one. So far, no one was winning.

But this, this looked like something that Kuon might actually enjoy. What was the trick?

Kuon did end up finishing his meal, and getting an answer to his question later that evening from his father after the guests had left and the family had retired for the evening.

"I'm glad that they've hired the new girl to help down in the kitchens. I was told it was thanks to her that we got all the special dishes finished," the king told Lory.

"I thought your chef guarded his food, and by extension his reputation, with his life," the duke replied.

"I think he does, still. I understand she was in charge of Kuon's portion of the meal."

"Ah, the only plate that it doesn't matter if it is sub-par," Lory teased, looking over to the crown prince. Kuon shrugged.

"There was nothing wrong with the food I was served. I liked it just fine."

"Really," Lory continued to jab, a lively mockery in his eyes.

"He ate all of it," Yukihito commented from the corner, bent over a stack of papers. The king and duke stopped to stare at the prince. Kuon simply shrugged again.

"I didn't have any complaint."

"I think we've found a miracle," Lory murmured. The prince glared at the older man and stood.

"I'm going to bed," he announced with a touch of irritation.

"Should we have her cook breakfast?" Kuu asked in all sincerity.

"No," Kuon responded as he stalked out. "I'm not a spoiled child. I can eat with everyone else."

"Right," Lory told the just slammed door. Kuu shook his head at his old friend and returned the conversation to what the visitors had said over the meal.

* * *

_And Kyoko is in the palace. Hope that you enjoyed this chapter. It really is going to get more interesting, I promise. It will become lively and full of fun and laughs and wit and ROMANCE even, I swear. There is romance in this story... somewhere. *Will, where did I put the romance? Why is it hiding? _Where did I hide the romance!_* Anyway... I'm sorry that people don't seem to be liking this as much as_ Her Fairy Prince_. I hope that you will stick with me to the end, even if you don't find it exciting right now. All joking aside, it's really going to get interesting. And on a completely different note, I have a question for anyone with more Google skills than I have. Is there an English translation of the _Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve _edition of _Beauty and the Beast (_La Belle et la Bête)? I have a pressing desire to read the original story for various reasons and it seems like the only translation that is available is the _Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont _version, and that one had all of the interesting bits cut out of it, as far as I can tell. Any help would be appreciated._

_Thanks as ever to Will, who deserves a medal for all of the editing she does for all of my writing... and other things. Betas are lovely. If you are a writer and you do no have one, you should really get one. They are a happy thing.  
_


	7. Vice and Virtue

_At long last, here it is! Chapter seven. Hope that you enjoy._

* * *

If you caught the king on a good day, backed him into a tight corner, and threatened not to feed him more than a normal person ate for the rest of his life, you _might_ get him to admit that Kuon had a particularly worrying vice. It had never been Kuu's besetting sin, and he hated to admit that his son might have bad habits.

But this was a habit that Kuu could not help but dislike, and as such, tried to pretend that it did not exist.

Yukihito had summed it up best once, speaking to the Duke.

"Whenever he doesn't like himself, he finds a girl to do it for him."

Kuon's reputation was well known amongst the palace staff. From her first days in the palace all of the older women had been clear with Kyoko about one thing in particular.

"If you're used to keeping yourself to yourself, stay away from the Prince. He's not a bad sort, and no one has ever complained about him, but he's bored and spoiled."

All the jobs in the palace were divvied up at night, people volunteering for the work they were willing to do. Favored jobs had lists drawn up that were cycled through, and the list for cleaning the Prince's rooms was the longest. Kyoko was not on it.

She had heard all kinds of gossip about why the job was so popular, and had no interest in it.

"It's fun signing up for the Prince's rooms. You'll get a treat if you clean up well." Kyoko had ignored this jibe from one of the girls who was convinced that before coming here, Kyoko's occupation had been prostitution.

Whatever the truth was, Kyoko had no interest in going near the prince.

Several weeks after he had gotten home, Kuon lounged near a stream, reclining on a hill. The palace sat near the edge of a large wood, separated from the forest by a river. About two miles south of the palace the river narrowed enough to be considered more of a stream. The area near the river proper held a few fruit trees, but was rather hilly and thus mostly open. Because of the river and the woods, the back of the palace was a fairly safe place even without very many guards watching the area and many a royal child had passed their childhood playing there.

Kuon was there now, avoiding people and work.

"_You're not taking care of yourself," _Yukihito's words to him earlier that day came back and haunted him. _"You're letting yourself worry again. You should be relaxing more."_

"_I'm just fine, Yukihito." The aide paused and made a face like he was about to do something he knew was a bad idea._

"_You should… do something… to relax. Or something." Kuon blinked, utterly shocked. _

"_I thought you hated my, er, notorious habits."_

"_I didn't say anything about taking advantage of frivolous females," Yukihito snapped. "I said do something about your mental health." Kuon grinned, and apologized to his red faced friend._

Sitting outside now, the prince felt a bit guilty about avoiding his troubles and worrying family and friends. But he could not motivate himself to move from where he was sitting and so continued to stare at the sky and drift towards a light nap. The weather was nice and there was a slight breeze.

As he drifted closer to sleep, vague images, preludes to dreams, started dancing before his minds eye. Green blurs that could have been any number of days spent out here, playing with his father. Then colored swatches, growing denser and denser, had to be parties and balls. These reminded him of his ball, and suddenly everything came into focus. There were people all around, the lights were bright, and he could feel a headache creeping up on him. But before he could do anything, he was suddenly standing in front of a withering mansion, covered in ivy and looming like a death threat. Kuon's eyes snapped open, all traces of sleepiness gone. He no longer remembered what the girl inside had looked like (had he even seen her at all, even then?), but that house was a dubious omen in his memory. He took a deep breath to try and calm his frayed nerves.

Smells began to drift from the palace and Kuon was reminded that it was almost time for lunch. He rolled over and pushed himself up, thinking it was time to head in. He was not hungry, but his parents would have him hunted down if he did not make at least a brief appearance.

As he rose, his gaze fell on a young woman carrying basket in the direction of one of the apple trees. He had not seen her around the palace before, and he made it his business to know, at least by sight, all the young ladies that worked here. This one was ordinary enough, with shoulder length auburn hair and a trim figure.

He was struck fleetingly by a vague feeling of recognition, but quickly dismissed it. He probably had seen her before, at the ball. But in a mass of females like that, he would not have picked her out in particular. She was simply too plain.

He would have ignored her, but his conversation with Yukihito came back to him, and mixed with the discomfort of his dream. He thought it might be a good idea to introduce himself to this girl. Just for fun. Even if some girl on the edge of the world had no use for him, that did not mean he had lost all of his charm. Ignoring him had been her loss, and he would prove it, even if she was not here to see it.

"Hello," he called out, smiling as invitingly as he could to the young lady.

Kyoko stopped in her tracks, frozen as she looked over and saw the Prince staring at her. When she realized there was no recognition in his face she relaxed a little, moving from fear to irritation.

She recalled a conversation she had heard the other day.

"_The Prince isn't as fun anymore. Lissy only got one kiss the other day and he only smiled for Mina."_

"_Why won't he play with us anymore," Lissy pouted._

Kyoko had moved on quickly, not interested in where this conversation might go. She had hoped it meant a change in the Prince's behavior for the better, but she was not making any assumptions at that point. And looking at him now, she was probably right to have reserved judgment. Clearly his bad habits had been in decline, but not obliterated.

It was unfair how incontestably attractive the Crown Prince was, and when he smiled like that, it could make an unwary girl tipsy. Kyoko was not unwary, and did not want to speak to him, but she had met his eyes which meant now she had to.

"Did Your Highness need something?" she asked softly, only barely letting her voice travel over the distance, her uncertainty leaking a little onto her face.

"I'm not sure I've seen you before," he stated, trying now to look as not intimidating as possible. She seemed skittish. "I try to know everyone who works here. Come here for a minute?"

In spite of his reassuring speech, she seemed to pull back from him. It was not quite fear, but she clearly did not trust him. He began to feel irritated. What had people been accusing him of this time?

"I'm sorry Your Highness, but I'm in the middle of a task right now."

"It's alright. No one will get upset with you if you're just talking to me. It'll just be for a minute."

Kyoko was starting to feel more frustrated. How many times would she have to say no to this boy before he understood her?

"I'm sure you're right, but there are a number of people waiting for me back in the kitchen. If I laze about, they won't be able to work."

"They wouldn't like a quick break?"

_Would you please leave me alone._ "If it were just one person, it might not be so bad. But there are people waiting on the people who are waiting on me. Those people have other work they have to do, and they're also waiting for lunch. If I waste five minutes here, that's five minutes for every other person who is waiting on me, and that culminates into the family and staff waiting for lunch. And hungry people don't work as quickly, which means their work falls behind as well. It's only a little thing for me, but it sets everyone else back, and I think I'd rather get my work done in a timely manner, Highness. If it isn't too much trouble." _Actually, __I hope you get buried in guilt, you self centered prig._

Kuon's face frowned, then turned thoughtful and he regarded her for several moments. Finally, he sighed.

"You're right. You should be allowed to do your work without me interrupting. And I should be working too, since I'm probably holding up people as well. Thank you."

This new smile set Kyoko's knees shaking. It was a little wistful, but it was sincerely grateful, and she had not been expecting it. Particularly since it was a very mature gesture and she had not thought him capable of sense.

She made a curtsy, mumbled a quick farewell, then turned and hurried over to the trees. Kuon watched her for a moment, taking a small amount of pleasure in having flustered this strange, impertinent girl. The feeling did not completely alleviate his frustration at having been rebutted, and he felt firmly put in his place. Apparently, the universe was not done sending him signs that his winning charm was not going to take him much further in the world. He stood and made his way back to the palace. He did have work to do, and even if he could not really be a help, he might as well not be a hindrance.

Kyoko finished her task and headed back to the kitchen as quickly as she could. She surprised the girls that were sitting there, chatting away, clearly not expecting her to return so quickly. The chef noticed her and gave an approving nod. She began to apologize for taking so long, but was quickly cut off.

"How did you get back so fast? I thought one of the guards said the Prince was in the back fields," one of the girls stated. Kyoko shrugged.

"No, that isn't an answer. What happened out there?" another one demanded.

"I did see the Prince, but he had some work waiting for him back here, so he left right away. We only really passed each other."

The other girls glanced at each other, a smug look on each of their faces. Kyoko let them revel in their supposed victory. They would not believe her if she told them she had refused to speak with the Prince. She might not care what was said about her, but she knew better than to make things worse for herself. And she did not want to be harassed for a detailed explanation of what _had_ happened. Firstly, it was none of their business. Secondly, she was not sure she could do it justice, or explain it right. And thirdly, she was not sure what she thought of if, and had no intention of telling anyone about it until she was sure.

Yukihito was surprised to see Kuon come in around lunch and actually look at some of the papers that were piling up on his desk. Yukihito had come to the small office in Kuon's suit of rooms to drop off a few more documents, and he was confused by the look on his prince's face when Kuon sat down and started to sort things into piles.

"Did you… have a nice break?" Kuon looked up at him and gave him a rueful smile.

"I think I got scolded."

"Scolded? By who?" But Kuon ignored him and went back to work on the papers.

When the prince reached the bottom of the stack much later that evening, he winced when he saw the dates on some of the papers. Yukihito had not thought that Kuon cared about the things he left undone. The aide almost wanted to say something, but did not feel that in this case it was really his place to. Instead he left and went back to his own office.

Several days later, Kuon saw the impertinent girl again. He was surprised when he noticed her straddled across a tall ladder in a long hallway, polishing the tall glass windows while a couple of young men watched her from below. It seemed as though they were supposed to be working as well, but Kuon could understand why they were so distracted.

The glass was set back in the window frames, which were technically alcoves. There were bench seats at the bottom of the windows, and as such the ladder had to sit a good three feet away from the panes. This made it necessary for the young woman to lean out away from the ladder to reach the window, a position which became more precarious as she stood partway to reach the highest peak of the window.

Kuon held his breath and bit his lip to prevent himself from saying anything. She was not falling off yet and he did _not_ want to startle her. He joined the collective sigh of relief when she leaned back and swung her leg over to begin climbing down.

"Y'know Kyoko, we really can reach better," one of the young men pointed out as she set her feet carefully on each step. She just chuckled at him and shook her head.

"You're here to carry the ladder and the extra supplies. Neither of you have the slightest clue of how to clean a window."

"We can learn," the other pointed out.

"I know. But there's only one ladder and I'm the lightest person. I have noticed that it's a bit rickety, and I think it's better if the two of you stay below."

"You still might fall."

"Well, if you really think it would be better for me to be ready to catch one of you, I can let one of you up for the next one."

Kuon covered his mouth to stifle a chuckle as he watched the looks on their faces change to amusement. She really did have a point, the wicked,_ wicked_ girl.

She looked up almost the moment he dropped his hand and her eyes widened in surprise. She immediately dropped a curtsy and her two companions turned around and bowed. Kuon waved them off and smiled, then decided it would be best for him to go.

Kyoko breathed an inner sighed of relief as he left. She had not thought he would call her away from her job in front of the others, but she was still nervous about being recognized. The two young men she was working with were part of a very small group of people that thought well of her and she did not want to lose that trust.

Her companions were very impressed by her actions, and she was able to hear most of their conversation when she climbed up for the next window.

"She didn' even stumble or blink. I thought all the girls fell over him."

"She's not normal. Normal girls don't volunteer to scale ladders and put themselves at risk of a broke neck."

"Tha's true. It might be better if she were a bit more normal…"

"Yeah, but then she might make gooey eyes at 'is Highness, and then what?"

"Another slop female simp'ring between and during all her work," came the caustic grumble.

"Yeah, well, can you blame 'em? Pa still says it's payback for all those years the boys were panting after Her Majesty, deluding themselves into thinking if they could just build up a bit more, get a little cleaner that she'd give 'em more than a passing smile."

"I'll buy that. She's still the best of beauty, for all she's older and married and all that."

"Meh, I'll agree, but for all that I like the girls around here plenty. Some in particular…" his voice drifted off and Kyoko could feel two sets of eyes drifting up to look at her. She focused on her work and pretended not to hear them.

It didn't matter. They were nice enough people, but they didn't really know her, and never would. There was no point in letting herself get interested.

Kuon decided to drop by Yukihito's office and see if there was anything he needed to take care of. He wanted to go riding, but could not be sure that some small task had not shown up during the morning. He arrived at the room and knocked twice on the door before peeking his head in. Yukihito looked up in mild surprise.

"What?" Kuon demanded. "Should I not be here?"

"I'm just wondering when this saintly streak will come to an end. I don't have anything for you today, although you'll probably want to look over the reports your father is working on tomorrow. He's dealing with palace expenditures, and since he would rather die than ask you to look at your own numbers, you might want to see them yourself."

"I imagine that I don't, but I will look it over. If anyone asks for me, I'm out riding."

"Alright." Kuon paused before shutting the door, a sudden thought occurring to him.

"There's a new girl working around here, isn't there?"

"Only you would notice," his friend sighed as he jabbed at a document in front of him.

"Yukihito..."

"Yes, we've hired several people in the last few weeks. If you're thinking about one in particular, it's probably the girl who made you dinner two weeks ago."

"The chef didn't get rid of her, did he?"

"No. I think she's still making part of your meal, actually."

"Probably the part that I actually eat. So she would be in the kitchen, right?"

"Kuon, please don't go accosting females in their work space."

"No need to get angry," he responded defensively. "That wasn't why I asking. I saw someone I didn't know today, but it wasn't anywhere near the kitchens."

"Probably someone else then," Yukihito responded absently.

"Yes, but the other time I saw her I think she was running and errand for someone in the kitchen."

"Is that right?"

"You really don't care, do you?"

"Kuon, the women that you chose to waste your time on are none of my business. I have work to do." Kuon frowned.

"I'm not wasting my time on women right now. But I am curious who this girl is." Yukihito looked up with raised brow.

"You realize that what you just said makes no sense, don't you?"

"Fine, I'll ask someone else."

"Who, His Grace? I bet that will go brilliantly."

"I'll ask my horse," Kuon retorted. "He can't give me a worse answer than you did."

"Have fun, Highness," Yukihito smiled as the door slammed shut.

* * *

_Wow, chapter seven done. Kyoko and Kuon finally meet. At long last...  
_

_Thanks Will, as usual. Someday I will be a good enough writer that you don't have to weep over my first drafts. And second ones, and third ones...  
_


	8. Incidents and Accidents

_And I have finally updated again. Sorry for the long wait. I hope you all enjoy._

* * *

Prince Kuon's life was busy again. The various events since his return to the castle had impressed on him a desire to try, probably for the last time, to see what he could make of himself. He had reinstated his old work habits and had returned to practicing his various skills. He spent his time answering correspondence, reviewing reports, attending meetings with his father, riding, fencing, and studying. He was shocked when he realized that he had forgotten how much he still had to learn.

His efforts did not immediately come to the notice of the people he hoped to impress. But it was only now moving into the fall, and most nobles were still at their estates, working on the harvest, finishing repairs, and maintaining their households. He would not have a chance to really prove himself until they returned.

"It's quiet," he complained one afternoon as he finished reading a letter. Yukihito, who had come in to remind Kuon it was time for lunch, shook his head.

"You can't expect much right now, Prince. Besides, I thought you hated the social season." Kuon grimaced.

"I don't hate the social season. I hate annoying, irresponsible people." Yukihito did not comment, but raised his brow. "Yes, I know. I'm the worst of that kind, I'm sure. Thank you for pointing that out."

"I wouldn't say that," Yukihito responded calmly. "You've been doing a very good job these past few weeks. Your father leaps to the verge of tears if I so much as mention your name in his presence."

"How very like him."

"Yes. But I am wondering, when is this going to end?"

"You mean my saintly streak? Not in the foreseeable future."

"You mean you plan on behaving until all our expected guests leave again? That way while they're here you can dislike them all without feeling guilty?"

"I can dislike a person for having the same faults that I do. I don't like my faults, Yukihito."

"I wouldn't have guessed that, Your Highness." Kuon grew quiet for a moment.

"No. I don't think anyone would." He smiled ruefully. "You see, I have a happy knack of not burdening the people around me with all of my unhelpful feelings."

"To the extent that many people believe you don't actually have any," his friend retorted. "Kuon, have you ever considered seriously trying to fall in love?"

"When did you become the Duke's disciple? I thought you were too logical to fall into that line of thinking."

"I have nothing against the principle of falling in love. And frankly, I don't think it could hurt you. I think it would be the biggest proof to the rest of the world that you really had changed."

"So I should fall in love so that my sudden burst of responsible behavior has credit and is believable? Yukihito, I have truly underestimated your cunning. Please, show me this girl you wish me to fall in love with and I will endeavor to oblige you."

"That isn't what I meant," Yukihito replied sourly.

"And what, pray tell, did you mean? Because I am completely at a loss as to what I am supposed to do."

"You're looking forward to the social season right now. All I ask is that you keep being excited about it after the first girls arrive."

"Ah, you mean when I am at long last reunited with my persistent fans. No, Yukihito. I think you have managed to remind me why I should not be excited about the approaching fall."

"If you don't give any of them a chance, you won't know what they are like," his aide pointed out desperately.

"And that is where you are wrong," Kuon told him. "No, I will agree that there are females that do not fall at my feet. I have had the fortune of offending one to the point where she beat me, in case you have forgotten that encounter. But the girls that I've met here, year after year, are not nearly so deep, or so spirited. You're wasting your time trying to convince me otherwise."

"You're sure you can't at least try?"

"Do you remember Ruriko Matsunai?" Yukihito shuddered.

"Yes," he responded in dread accents.

"No, Yukihito. I am not looking forward to the arrival of our guests."

"I suppose not. I don't think I am anymore either."

"I'm sorry."

"Yes, well. Are you ready for lunch?"

"I was going to finish this, then come down."

"So, you mean to get me out of here by telling me that you are almost done, then proceed to 'forget' about lunch as you get lost in your work?"

"Of course not," Kuon replied with a gentlemanly smile. Yukihito shook his head.

"I'll make sure your father doesn't come after you. And I'll tell them to bring you something if you don't show up."

"You're too kind. Only…"

"Yes?"

"Could they not send it with any of the female servants? I'd like to not be disturbed."

Yukihito blinked.

"Of course."

Kuon's return to virtuous living meant that he was very busy now, but his favorite activities were most definitely riding and fencing. Riding allowed time for solitary reflection and fencing was a release of all of the tension that built up in him throughout the day. He wondered how he had ever let these practices slip away from him.

From time to time Kuon would see Kyoko, working around the palace, generally perched on some ridiculously precarious precipice. That, or she would be hauling items that were at least half her size. But it was only ever in passing that he spotted her and he eventually grew used to her presence and ignored her.

Kyoko wished that he was not the only one who ignored her. Her work companions were becoming something of a trial. She was bothered in particular by a conversation she heard while she was cleaning some decorative ledges in one of the halls.

"She really thinks she's above us, doesn't she?"

"Well, look at her up there. You don't see anyone else volunteering to dust all those nooks and crannies."

"Maybe she'll fall and break her neck," one of them suggested. The group of girls giggled.

"That sounds fun to watch."

Kyoko just hoped they did not steal her ladder while she was working. It would be embarrassing to get stuck.

During the early afternoon at the end of a long week, Kuon was out in the practice yard, wrapped up in concentration as he worked through a bout with his fencing master. Retraining had been brutal and he was finally reaching the level he had been at when he had started to slack on his practicing.

They were using live blades today, and as such Kuon was even more attentive to his opponent. It was not that Ryutaro Uesugi ever went easy on a person. He did not. But Kuon did try and keep himself from frightening his parents, and while he trusted Ryutaro to not kill him, he would not be surprised if he ended up with large holes in him if he was not wary.

The match had gone on longer than either had expected and both were exhausted. Neither could have told how they kept their sword up, leveled at the other, but both did. The small crowd around them had long since stopped cheering and had gone very quiet.

Ryutaro went in for a quick thrust and Kuon was not quick enough. The blade pierced his shoulder and he flinched at the pain. Instead of yielding, as his opponent expected, he twisted and moved his own sword to sit at Ryutaro's throat.

The other man froze and smiled.

"Good. Very good. Though next time, I would try to not sacrifice my shoulder, if I were you."

Kuon chuckled darkly, dropping his point. He was already drained and his wound, while not deep, was bleeding. It was an effort trying to keep standing.

"I'll keep that in mind," Kuon responded as casually as he could.

At this point the duo was swarmed and two young men stood on either side of Kuon to support him while a third used a makeshift bandage to staunch the bleeding. He shook his head at them, but was firmly ignored.

Within thirty minutes he had been escorted up to the infirmary and the head physician was putting the finishing touches on a bandage.

"Really, your mother is going to kill you, you know." Takenori Sawara told his patient as he moved to rinse off his hands one last time.

"I'll do my best to not waste the work you've done." Kuon responded mildly, still a little dizzy. His head was beginning to ache, and he was sure the rest of his body would soon be in full blown protest. "I don't suppose you have some sort of pain reliever, do you?"

Takenori smiled at him.

"Ask my assistant."

Kuon looked up and was surprised to see Kyoko working in the back of the room, moving bottles and boxes around on a counter, throwing some unceremoniously into a pile and pulling others from a large crate at her feet. She looked up when Takenori spoke and rolled her eyes. Then she turned back to her task.

"Very informative," Kuon remarked dryly. Takenori chuckled again.

"Most of the medicines that are in there have been unceremoniously mixed together by an unhappy associate of mine that I had to get rid of recently. If I have a pain reliever, I have no idea what else might be in it. My helper is replacing some of the medicines with ones we had in storage, and she'll help me mix anything that we don't have later. The kitchen staff is angry I've stolen her for a whole week, but she knows what she's doing and she can actually read the labels."

"I see."

Kuon had lost interest as his head ache had grown. He was feeling exhausted and wondered how exactly he was going to make it back to his room without falling over. He thought about leaving, but he was not sure that he wanted to try standing just yet. He sat for several minutes, hoping to regain enough strength to move.

"Here, Highness," a small voice murmured next to him.

A noxious smelling substance in a cup was thrust under his nose by a small hand. He looked at Kyoko incredulously, wondering what could have possibly made her think he was going to drink whatever was being held out to him.

"What, exactly, is this?"

"I could give you the full list of ingredients that went in to all of the things that I mixed together, but I hope you don't think I'm stupid enough to try and poison the Crown Prince in front of the Royal Physician. Your Highness. It's a pain reliever."

"And you think I'm actually going to take this from you and drink it?" She gave him a wicked smile.

"Only if you think you can handle it, Your Highness." Kuon glared at her, but took the cup and sipped it cautiously. This was a mistake, and in order to avoid letting the flavor sit on his tongue he downed the rest in a single gulp.

After a few second his head began to clear and his shoulder ached less. His stomach was doing somersaults however.

"It tastes like my mother's brief attempts at cooking," he commented with a grimace, handing her back the cup. "There was a reason they never let her back into the kitchen, and it wasn't just because she was a queen." Kyoko smiled, took the cup, and placed another into his hands, this one steaming. He blinked at her.

"Mint tea. It should deal with the worst of the taste and help your stomach settle before you leave. Highness." She turned to go rinse out the first cup and returned for his empty tea cup silently. Takenori had watched her with interest and thanked her quietly for all her hard work.

Kuon recovered enough to move again and stood to leave for his own room.

"How long until this wears off?"

Takenori looked to Kyoko and she chewed her bottom lip for a moment, thinking.

"Not terribly long. But if you rest until supper you should be alright for a while. The shoulder will probably give you trouble for several days, but the headache should be gone before morning. By tomorrow I can have made some more. If it's alright with Master Sawara, Your Highness."

"Then I suppose I will see you both tomorrow. I'm off to bed."

He made a slightly stiff bow, winced, and headed out. Kyoko breathed a small sigh of relief once he was gone. Her supervisor glanced at her, but did not ask. He simply went back to his ledger and started frowning.

Kuon's parents' reaction to his injury when he came down to supper later was just as he expected - immediate and exaggerated. His mother worried intensely if it had been cared for properly and if he was feeling well enough to have come down for supper. His father worried about the nature of Kuon's practices and voiced the idea that he would not allow them anymore.

Kuon assured his mother he had been well cared for and told his father point blank that he was not giving up fencing because he had gotten a little scratch. He hoped his father knew he was made of sterner stuff than that.

Of course his father knew, and proceeded to go off into a long explanation of all of his son's many glorious accomplishments and fantastic traits. Kuon ignored him and Juliena became enough annoyed at her husband that she let her concerns for her son's health drop. Instead, she tried to stop Kuu from continuing his tirade over the dinner table.

Lory rolled his eyes at both Their Majesties and asked Kuon where Sawara had dug up a remedy in that trash heap of a medical cabinet.

"He was having it cleaned out when I came in. The items were being replaced and moved, so everything was out and easy to find."

"I thought most everything had been sabotaged. He was saying he hoped no one got sick today since he would not be able to begin remixing until tomorrow."

"I was fortunate. His helper was in there because she has a good head for medicine and she pulled something together out of what was around."

"Ah, the new girl from the kitchens."

"New? I thought she had been here for a while?"

"You would know," Lory noted with a wicked smile.

"Why is it that every time I talk to you and Yukihito it seems like you're becoming more like the other? Yes, I do know that there is a new girl, and unless I am mistaken she's been cooking part of my meals."

"She has," Lory told him. "She's been almost adopted by our head chef. I had to practically beg to be allowed to use her to write up some invitations for a party for Maria."

"She wrote invitations?"

"Very prettily. I noticed her handwriting in a few of the clerks' ledgers and demanded to know who we had hired with such a nice script. I was directed to the kitchens. She didn't disappoint. I was surprised."

"I would imagine. Maria is having a party?"

"Her usual end of summer event. I know not very many people will come, but I hate to see her wasting away out there. It will give her something to do, and prepare her for coming back here."

"Is she excited to come out?"

"She's excited to see you, I think." Lory sighed. "I know I should be thinking more about what to do with her when she gets here, but your little servant girl is distracting me."

Kuon choked on his food.

"My _what_?"

"Oh, your little friend who cooks your food and mixes you up medicine to make you feel better. Don't worry, I know you aren't interested in her. Unlike Yukihito, I am not actually suspicious of your good behavior."

"I'm not sure if I should thank you or not."

"Don't bother. You've always been a notoriously boring person. Bad habits aren't interesting in any way, and clearly your experience in the spring was the catalyst for the increasingly boring changes in you."

"I think I will do my best to take that as a compliment."

"If you'd like. For my part, I'm much more interested in what brings the cunning young lady who made that soup you are eating here to our humble abode."

"She makes good tea too," Kuon added offhandedly.

"A girl of many talents," Lory commented. "I do wonder where she got them. For all the work she does, she's very genteel. It's strange."

"You hate mysteries, don't you?"

"I have no problem with mysteries. I simply like to solve them."

"And then lord your secret over everyone else?"

"Of course."

"Well, I hope she leads you on a merry chase."

"So do I. No one else here will, and I am finding myself as bored as you are."

"Just don't scare her away," Kuon told him. "I like being able to eat my supper."

"I make you no promises."

Returning to the infirmary the next morning, Kuon was greeted by Takenori, but his peculiar assistant was absent.

"I just sent her off to collect all the ingredients we had ordered for today and to make things ready in the kitchen for all the work we will be doing there. Here, she made up a small batch for you last night. She recommends using it mostly before you go to bed if you can avoid it taking it during the day, since there is only so much right now. And she strongly recommends only the mint tea to go with it. You might make yourself sick otherwise."

"I'll keep that in mind. And get out of your way."

"Yes, Highness." Kuon left feeling a little disappointed. He could not explain why, but he had hoped to see that spirited girl again.

Kuon continued to keep an eye out for Kyoko, but he was still busy and did not let the exercise distract him. He decided that he wanted to thank her for her help, though he wondered if he was not supposed to. She was supposed to be a regular servant, and unless one had a task to give them, they were supposed to be invisible. She probably would not appreciate his interrupting her in her work either.

Perhaps he should just leave her alone...

Kuon's next meeting with Kyoko came rather unexpectedly under unusual circumstances.

He was headed to the library to find a text to help him with some task. Upon entering, he realized he had picked a somewhat inopportune time to retrieve a book. A small cluster of servant girls were standing at the foot of a ladder that reached the highest shelves, chattering and giving the ladder next to them evil looks.

Or rather, they were giving evil looks to the girl perched at the top of the ladder, dusting the books on the topmost shelf and replacing them carefully. Judging by the rags in the other girls' hands and by the state of the books, they had been dusting below and were waiting for Kyoko to finish the last few up top.

Kuon moved a little closer to see if he could hear what they were saying. As he did so, Kyoko reached over to put the very last book back in its place. Once the book was secure on the shelf, she tried to pull back, but the ladder jerked suddenly. Kuon noticed that one of the girls had shoved her shoulder into it, waiting for the moment when Kyoko had released the book, but had not straightened up.

Kyoko toppled forward with a small shout and Kuon moved as quickly as he could.

He caught her, but the impact sent both of them to the ground. Her head landed on his injured shoulder and he clenched his teeth to stop from making any sound. He was just recovering his senses when he felt her warm weight yanked off of him suddenly.

He was helped to his feet by two of the young women who had been standing at the foot of the ladder while the other two partly supported Kyoko and mostly cut her off from his sight.

"Oh Your Highness, are you alright?"

"Your Highness, you didn't hit your head too hard, did you?"

"Oh Your Highness, we're so sorry. Please, you are alright, aren't you?"

"I'm fine," he reassured them, pulling his arms out of their clinging grips and gently pushing them away.

What he would not give to remove his reputation from all of their memories…

"Your Highness, is there anything we can do?" They were still hovering close, and the girls blocking out Kyoko leaned in as far as they could without moving.

"I'm fine, thank you. I'm more worried about your friend. Are you alright?" He did his best to look Kyoko in the eye as he directed the question at her. But the other girls cut her off before she could answer.

"Oh no! How terrible, falling like that. You must have been so scared!"

"You're alright, aren't you? Since the Prince caught you and all?"

"Oh I was so careless. I forgot the ladder was there. Forgive me?"

Kuon was more than a little angry. He was not stupid and did not like being treated so. He liked less being deceived and even less malicious actions, especially ones that could hurt others so badly.

"I'm fine." Kyoko replied quietly. "It doesn't matter."

She brushed aside their comments, but Kuon noticed she did not accept the girl's explanation, and she did not actually forgive her either. Once they had given their obligatory attention to Kyoko and felt her to have reassured everyone properly, they turned back to the Prince.

"Can't we get you anything?"

"You really must have hit your head hard. And she isn't all _that_ small, you know."

"Do you want to sit? We can get you anything you need."

"Thank you I'm fine. I just came for a book. I'll get that and leave."

"Which one? We'll find it."

But once he named it, all the girls looked a little confused and none of them went to retrieve it. Kyoko sighed and moved over several shelves, taking the ladder with her. She climbed up to the top and got the book, holding onto the ladder carefully as she leaned over.

She came back and handed the book to the Prince with a small smile.

"They don't normally dust the histories, Your Highness," she explained softly. She gave him a small curtsy. "Thank you for catching me. It was very careless of me to fall."

"Not at all," he murmured, keeping one eye on the girls glaring at the victim. "If you will all excuse me."

He went away before his presence could cause any more trouble, but was not pleased with how everything had ended.

And now his shoulder hurt...

Elsewhere in the palace, Lory sighed as he listened to the report of the man standing in front of him.

"You mean to tell me, Sebastian, that you can't discover anything?"

"Miss Kyoko is under the direct employ of the head chef. Since it would cause suspicion if I was to ask him directly about her, I've had to gather information indirectly. I've been able to ask a few people about her, but most of what I have collected is gossip. People say she is gifted, the young women that work with her tend to say unkind things about her, and the young men are divided. She has impressed the older staff, but I cannot ask them anything directly either."

"How frustrating. Is there anything else?"

"It has been mentioned that she was recommended by the brother of the head chef. I believe that he runs an inn in the city, and I have been looking into that."

"Well, that's a good start. You'll let me know when you find anything?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

At supper time later that evening Kyoko sat at a small table in the kitchen, eating with the older staff. They discussed the various tasks that had not been finished that day and would need to be attended to on the morrow. How she had earned a place at this table was difficult to say, but it probably had much to do with her adoption by the head chef and her own amazing skills.

She ate carefully, trying to turn her right wrist as little as possible. She had landed on top of it during the fall, and while she was very glad that she had been caught and had not sustained any worse injury, the pain still bothered her.

She would wrap it later tonight, when others were not around and she would not have to explain what had happened.

She caught the head chef watching her through most of the meal, a displeased look on his face, but he said nothing. She hoped she had not done anything to offend him. His opinion had become very important to her and she did not want to upset him in any way.

He stopped her after dinner with a firm hand on her shoulder before she could escape to her small room in the corridor off the kitchen.

"Is your hand alright?" His manner was gruff, but she felt the comment stemmed from concern.

"It's fine. I took a little fall earlier and didn't land quite right. It should be fine by morning though." He stared at her intently and nodded.

"Wrap it."

She agreed and moved quickly before anyone else thought to ask any more questions.

* * *

_Many thanks to my diligent reviewers. And thanks to all you readers who don't review also. I hope that you are enjoying the story so far. Thanks in particular to the readers that have asked questions and noted problems. You've helped me to make this story better. Special thanks to Will, who has still not abandoned me and who was very kind to edit this chapter in the middle of an incredibly busy week. So special kudos to her. Hopefully chapter nine will not be too far behind... maybe._


	9. Distances

_Chapter nine. "We progress."_

* * *

In spite of the trouble she had gotten into earlier that day, Kyoko felt was doing well with her new life in the palace. When things became difficult, she could escape to the comfort of her own room and stay there until she felt ready to face the world again.

Kyoko's room was small, but cozy, and she enjoyed the security it brought her. It had a lock and she held the only key. None of the girls were capable of picking locks and so she was safe from their malicious tricks in here.

_You're hiding…_ a little voice in her head would whisper. But she ignored it. She knew she was hiding. She had to.

She wrapped her wrist carefully that night, concerned mostly about how this would affect her work. She could not afford to slack off. People needed her to get things done, and the last thing she needed was another reason for so many of her fellows to hate her.

She winced as she pulled the bandage too tight and hoped the pain would have subsided by the morning.

"_It can't hurt as bad as Prince Kuon's shoulder,_" she told herself. She grimaced as she remembered the accident.

She was grateful that he had saved her. It was a very kind thing to do. But she had hurt him during her fall, and to have injured his royal head a second time… It was a good thing he did not know she was the one who had rejected him. She also hoped he had not used all of his pain reliever.

It was hard to say what exactly she thought of the Prince. His reputation preceded him and she had not been impressed with the other girls' opinion of him. Her own very first few meetings with him had not impressed her. He was too dashing, too quick, too generous, too handsome-

No, no that was not important.

He was a little different now. The whining of her associates had told her as much, even before the older members of the staff and the other people in palace had begun whispering respectfully whenever he passed by. And he carried himself differently. More distant, less dashing. More confident, less haunted. More intriguing-

No. That was not important either.

Kyoko did not actually see Prince Kuon often, but from what she had heard he had been changing for the better since the time she had arrived. It would be arrogant to think that she had changed him at all, but maybe he had thought about some of the things she had said to him.

Jelly's words came suddenly to her head.

"_...I am going to send you to the ball. I have a sense for this kind of thing, and you need to be there. Not just for you…"_

Maybe this was why she had been asked to go to the ball. Maybe it had never been for her, not really. Maybe it had always been for everyone else who was relying on the Crown Prince growing up to be a responsible and well rounded king.

Looking at her wrist and realizing it would be a while before she would be able to fall asleep, Kyoko hoped this would be worth it. Because her life was over now, and if all that came from it was an injured wrist and only a few weeks of good behavior from His Highness she would wonder what she had given it up for.

Well, it was not like she had had much of a life to give up…

Kuon woke the next morning with a groan and rubbed his shoulder carefully.

"Stupid, freakish, conniving _females_…" he growled as he remembered the events of the day before. "Arrogant, presumptuous, worthless _girls!_"

He dressed slowly and trudged down to the breakfast table to be greeted by the overly energetic ecstasies of his father.

"Kuon! You've come to join us!"

"Hello Father. Mother, you're looking as lovely as ever." He stopped to drop a kiss on her cheek and she tapped his nose affectionately.

"Good morning, Kuon. Are you alright? You look a little tired."

"Tired? Did something happen? Are you alright?" Kuu immediately interrupted. Juliena sighed and gave her son an apologetic look.

"I'm just fine, Father. There's nothing wrong with me. If there was, I would go and see Takenori."

"Are you going to eat with us?" his mother asked. Kuon looked at the breakfast board and stifled a sigh. His mother had asked, and he did not want to disappoint her.

"Of course I'm going to join you. But only for a little while. I'm not really hungry." He grabbed an apple out of a bowel of fruit and took a hearty bite out of it as he took a seat next to his mother. When he had finished chewing he spoke. "Was there something you needed, Mother?"

"Oh no, nothing in particular. It's just we haven't had a chance to talk in such a long time." Kuon sighed.

"I'm sorry. I've been getting so busy. I work with Father so often I forget that we aren't spending very much time together."

"You're forgetting me?" his mother despaired in withering accents. Kuon grimaced as he recognized this tactic.

"Mother-"

"After all it makes sense," she said in a faltering tone. "All those important people, all that work, all your friends… Of course you've forgotten-" She broke off to bury her face in her napkin. Kuon smiled, knowing that she was hiding a smile of her own from the twinkle in her eyes. But he also knew she was probably feeling lonely.

"I didn't mean that," he told her, clasping her hand gently. "Are you busy today? Yukihito keeps waiting for me to start abandoning my work for pretty young ladies. I'd hate to disappoint him. Should we go riding?"

"Shopping?" she asked, immediately perking up. Kuon's smile twitched, but he nodded.

"We can head into the city and go shopping if you'd like."

"Oh Kuon! I'll be ready in thirty minutes!"

She immediately fled from the table, startling her husband who had been ignoring their conversation in order to consume the veritable mountain of food in front of him. He gave his son a questioning look.

"We're going shopping," Kuon told his father. Kuu's face was immediately full of pity, but since he had not yet swallowed, he could not say anything. However, Lory, entering at that moment, did comment.

"You're going to die," he told the Crown Prince. Kuon shrugged and suppressed a grimace as the movement made his shoulder sting.

"It hasn't killed me yet."

"You're a good son," Lory told him, clapping Kuon on his good shoulder. Kuu, his mouth still full, smiled in agreement, but thankfully did not add anything else. Kuon, shocked by the compliment, did not reply.

Kyoko was on her lunch break, trying desperately to keep from moving her wrist. She had left the bandage on it when she had awoken that morning, not willing to deceive herself about how serious it was. She could not skip out on her work, but maybe the wrapping would keep the injury from getting much worse.

She might as well have not bothered. Her assigned task for the day had been dusting all of the odd shaped furniture in the guest suits on the south side of the palace. Her wrist had throbbed the entire time and her only consolation was that she had worked quickly enough to finish early and take a few extra minutes for her lunch.

She needed them, at the rate she was eating.

"It got worse," the chef commented as she picked at her food.

"It should be fine," she tried to reassure him. "I won't let it ruin my work."

He stared at her hard for a moment.

"Cook the Prince's food. It will be easier to make."

"Oh no, please. I really can help-"

"He likes your cooking better."

Kyoko was so stunned by this admission that she stopped arguing. She shook her head and set to work on the Prince's supper. She would do her best to try and pay him back for having saved her. And to prove to everyone that she was not slacking on her job.

Kuon collapsed into a chair, his head aching fiercely and his arms limp at his sides. He was not sure he wanted to look at the food in front of him.

"Did you have fun?" Lory asked the exhausted figure.

"I love my mother," Kuon mumbled. "I have no bad feelings for all women on the face of the planet. I think my mother is an angel. I do not hate anyone right now."

"Ah, poor man. Was it that bad?"

"She was looking for a gift for an old friend whose birthday is coming. Every time we turned around, she saw something else that was _just_ perfect."

"A dizzying experience, I'm sure," Lory chuckled.

"I stopped trying to follow after the first hour. She was plenty good at spinning me around and dragging me along. I just had to tell my feet to move before I fell over."

"You made it a whole hour? I think your father can only boast forty minutes."

"I feel so accomplished," Kuon retorted.

"Well, if you'll open your eyes, you'll find you have a treat in store for you."

Kuon groaned, but looked down at the dishes in front of him. Realizing who must have actually cooked the meal, he smiled in relief.

"I think I can actually eat this."

"I think that was the idea," Lory commented dryly.

Kuon ignored this jibe, and, careful not to jostle his injured shoulder, he dug into his food. As the throbbing ache increased, Kuon made plans to slip down to the infirmary some time after supper. Pathetic or not, it was time to have Takenori look at his shoulder.

The end of the day came at last and it took all of Kyoko's strength to keep from grimacing as she finished her dinner. She knew her face was pale and could not stop the worried looks people were giving her, but she did not wish to make a big deal out of anything, so she finished as quickly as she could. She dismissed herself with the excuse that she was not feeling quite well and was tired. She received a number of dubious nods and concerned goodnights.

The chef's wife stopped by her room a little later and smiled at her kindly.

"How is your wrist?"

"Just fine, thank you."

"You really shouldn't lie dear. You aren't very good at it, and people like you since you're so honest." Kyoko hung her head in shame.

"I'm sorry. I just… I didn't want to be a bother. The work still needs to be done and I am trying to be careful with it."

"That's fine and all, but we have physicians here to make sure that _all_ of the residents are taken care of. Have you had it looked at?"

"No. It's just a little strained."

"Well then, you had best change that right away," she stated as she took Kyoko's arm and started to drag the girl out. They moved quickly through the palace to the infirmary where a light was still burning.

When they entered, Kyoko was dismayed to see the Prince there with Takenori looking at his shoulder and shaking his head slightly.

"You went shopping with your mother like this? You really are a fool." The physician looked up suddenly and smiled ironically. "Ah, and now we have the original culprit as well."

Kuon turned to look and was surprised to see Kyoko standing there looking anxious and frightened. He turned back to Takenori and frowned.

"Victim. She didn't do anything wrong. You don't need to tease her just because you chose a profession that means you have to work with idiots all of the time."

"I suppose you might be more sympathetic if I would let you get back to your parents instead of dawdling, Highness."

"Not likely. But since you have another patient and I'm almost finished, it would be nice if we could wrap this up."

"Yes, Highness."

Kyoko stood back with her escort as Kuon was assisted and then released. He paused on his way out and smiled at her.

"One of these days, maybe we'll meet under normal circumstances," he commented with a smile. She was too flustered to try and convince him this was unlikely, since they had already met twice under what she considered to be perfectly normal circumstances. In fact, she hoped they never met under circumstances that he seemed to consider normal.

"Kyoko, what-"

Takenori saved her from being questioned by the chef's wife by calling her over.

"What seems to be the problem? I understand that you fell off a ladder yesterday, but it can't be too serious if you are only in coming now." Kyoko flinched at the sharp intake of breath she heard behind her.

"I'm really alright. When His Highness caught me I landed a little strangely on my hand, but I think it's just strained a bit."

"Well, let me look at it."

Kyoko relented and extended her arm. The head physician tested the wrist and twisted it a bit, ignoring Kyoko's flinches.

"Is she alright?" the chef's wife asked anxiously.

"Hmmm? Oh yes, it doesn't look too bad right now. Though I think you have made it worse. What did you do today?"

"Dusted the guest suits."

"Good grief, what made you do that? No, it isn't terrible, but you really shouldn't have. I don't suppose there are many jobs that you can do one handed, or without your wrist, but try. Why didn't you dust with your left hand?"

"I switched as often as I could, but some of the furniture was in such a place that it was impossible with my left hand."

"Well, just be careful. I'll wrap it for you again and give you a pain reliever."

"I think I'll be alright without it." Takenori smiled at her.

"And not suffer the incredible taste, I'm sure. No, you should take it. You'll need your rest and that is going to bother you all night if you don't do something."

"Alright."

She left with the chef's wife a little while later, a small bottle in her hand. The woman kept sneaking glances at her, but Kyoko ignored them. She had nothing to say.

When she reached her room, Kyoko allowed herself to worry some more about what the Prince had said. It seemed like he still wanted to talk to her, and that was the last thing she desired. Not only would it be awkward in general, but after having saved her, she could not very well ignore him if he did speak to her. And if he ever realized who she was...

She sincerely hoped she could avoid him.

Kuon rejoined his parents in the library. His Grace and Yukihito were absent that evening, having work that they needed to finish. Kuu was engrossed in a book, but Juliena, sitting on the other side of the room, looked up when her son came in and smiled.

"You disappeared after supper. Is everything alright?" Kuon came over and sat next to his mother.

"I went to see Takenori and have him look at my shoulder." Juliena frowned.

"Should we not have been out for so long? I know I dragged you all over the market-"

"That wasn't the problem. I... had some trouble with it yesterday and didn't take care of it properly."

"What kind of trouble? With you injury? I didn't make it worse, did I?"

Kuon shook his head, then paused for a moment.

"Actually, I have something I wanted to ask you," he confessed quietly. "I don't think Father would be any help, and I want your advice."

"I'm listening. Does it have something to do with the trouble your shoulder?" Kuon nodded.

"A little. But more importantly, I think I behaved badly yesterday, and now I'm not sure how to fix the problem."

"Behaved badly?"

"I didn't deal with a situation the way I should have. I wasn't very chivalrous, and I think I ran away from fixing a problem."

"What happened?"

Kuon explained briefly the incident that had occurred in the library, the behavior of the girls involved, and his own quick exit. Juliena's eyes narrowed as she listened, flashing with anger.

"I should have said something," he told his mother. "I knew what they had done was wrong- No, it was incompletely inappropriate and very dangerous. I was even angry with them. But I didn't say anything. Nothing at all. And I don't even know if I could have said anything that would have helped. I just left as quickly as I could."

Juliena considered his story for a minute.

"Do you know exactly who the girls are? Especially the one the shoved the ladder."

"Sadly, I think I do," Kuon confessed with a grimace.

"Well, that makes this easier," Juliena stated. "I think this time it was good that you walked away. You aren't really in charge of punishing the servants, and you haven't been involved with their behavior before. You probably would have caused problems for the girl if you had said anything just then. You should have told someone yesterday what happened, but I think we can work around that."

"You'll help?"

"Of course! I think at this point I had better be the one to take care of it completely. That way we keep this from getting back to the young lady they were harassing. I should probably have someone talk to her as well though, if I can think of someone appropriate. In any event, if you can tell me which girls they were, I'll have them called in to help sort my old wardrobe." Her wicked smiled was quickly matched by her son's.

"Thinking of getting ready for the fall?" he asked, still smirking.

"Naturally! I'll have to sort through _all_ my old dresses, and _then_ I'll have to start making preparations for what I will be wearing all through the social season. I'll need people to fetch me supplies, give opinions on my designs, visit the dress makers, return all the dress that just _won't_ work. Oh, and I should design a new uniform for the staff while I'm at it," she told her son, grinning impishly. "I know they always fuss when I try and update their clothes, but we have to replace the uniforms most years anyway. And I _love _the work."

Juliena was a queen as eccentric as her husband. Nothing could persuade her that designing dresses and uniforms was work fit only for civilians. She had impeccable taste and was boundlessly creative when it came to clothing. But she was also fastidious, and could become so wrapped up in her work that she forgot to take breaks or eat. Her assistants were worked to the brink of death, running back and forth one errands, standing for hours as she used them as models for completed outfits, and being asked over and over for opinions that were always rejected.

"I think the girls will be honored to be singled out for such a special task for the Queen," Kuon replied as he bit back a chuckle. His mother smiled and patted his hand.

"I think it will be a great experience for them," she agreed. At this point, Kuu finally became aware of his son's presence in the room and protested to being left out.

"What are you two doing all the way over there?" he asked. "It looks like plotting."

"Just a little," Juliena admitted. "Kuon was reminding me that I needed helpers for preparing my new wardrobe." Kuu chuckled.

"Oh dear. I sense trouble. And what is the ruling fashion for this year?" he asked as he came over to sit next to his wife. The family passed the rest of the evening discussing the benefits of seasonal colors and layered clothing for the coming cold months.

Kyoko managed to avoid the Prince for a little while longer, but her luck did not hold out. He caught her alone a week later in the middle of her lunch break while she was out in the palace gardens.

She loved this part of the palace. She did not have time to relax very often, but when she did, this was the first place she visited. The gardens at her own home were only small when they were well tended. In taking care of the house Kyoko had not even kept them neat. Nothing beautiful grew up north without a great deal of coaxing, but she loved wandering through the well tended flowers here; they blossomed all spring and summer, and well into the fall. The place was almost magical, sweetly scented with bright, warm colors. Kyoko liked to think she could see little faeries dancing about in the flowers.

It was to Kuon's advantage that he found her there, focused wholly on stroking a large bloom with the tips of her fingers, a very gentle smile on her face. Not only did she not see him right away, but this place had a calming effect on her, so when she noticed the Prince she was embarrassed, but she was not as nervous as the other times he had been near her.

The feeling of having seen her before struck him again, but Kuon brushed it off. Of course he knew her. He saw her all the time now. But that smile... No, it was nothing.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were here, Your Highness." She dropped a curtsy and looked up to see him smiling at her in that way that actually made her knees just a little shaky.

"It's fine. The garden is for everyone after all. Is your wrist doing better?"

"It's doing fine, I suppose. Your Highness."

"That's good. I was worried about your injury, but it does look like you're alright. Ah, I apologize. I suppose I never actually got your name."

This was technically not true, but he wanted to give her the chance to speak.

"Kyoko, Your Highness."

"...No last name?"

"Not that I should be using, Your Highness." Her eyes dimmed at this point and he kicked himself.

"I'm sorry. That was not my business."

"It's your privilege to ask, Your Highness."

"And it's my responsibility as a gentleman to know not to. And please, you don't have to use my title every time you speak. I know that you're talking to me."

"If… if you don't mind then, Your-" she cut off with a slight flush. He smiled to encourage her. "If you don't mind then."

"I could hardly encourage it if I disliked it. That would be in bad taste."

She opened her mouth, but then snapped it shut again, turning away. Kuon let it go, but wished he could know what she had been about to say.

"Have you had much more trouble since you fell?" She looked up at him in surprise, but immediately shook her head.

"It was just an accident. I've been much more careful about my climbing. And I haven't been allowed to do as much of it while my wrist was healing. But it's much better now, and I am very careful."

"Miss Kyoko…" he hesitated, not wanting to contradict her or make her uncomfortable. But he could not let this slide. "If you're having trouble, you need to tell people. I know the palace is full of gossips and everyone gets abused by that sort of thing at some point or another. But it does no one any good if the staff are really harassing each other."

"I'm really doing fine, Highness. I get along well with most of the staff." It was not the "most" part he was worried about.

"Just remember, as much as you are here to support the residents, you are under the employ of the crown, and we're responsible if you get hurt. It's our job to make sure the people who live here are safe." Kyoko looked embarrassed and refused to meet his eyes.

"I understand, Your Highness." she murmured softly. Kuon felt frustrated, but knew there was nothing more than this that he could do. He just hoped that nothing happened to her. For some reason, he felt responsible for her.

He looked around, trying to find something to distract her and make her comfortable again.

"Would you like to sit?" he gestured to a bench behind her. She glanced briefly but quickly shook her head. The sound of voices approaching made her twitch.

"I'll have to get back to work soon. I really should be going, Your Highness."

He was willing to bet her work would not be so important if she did not also want to escape from him. But he let her go graciously, piqued as he had never been before. He wished suddenly that he had given her a flower before she left. She would have looked cute with it tucked into her hair…

That evening, tucked away in his room, Lory frowned at his aide.

"Nothing?"

"I investigated the inn, and they confirmed she had worked there. I traveled two days out and found the place she had worked before that. But the man who owned the inn there said that he had had several girls come and go over the past months. He gets recommendations all the time and he doesn't keep track of where they are from, or where they go. They all come from the north, but there are too many roads headed out from the town to know where she would have come from."

"Lovely," Lory sighed as he contemplated his fingernails.

"If I may..."

"You have speculations?" Lory was surprised. Sebastian never had anything to contribute but the facts of his reports.

"I can't be sure, Your Grace, but I do not think the girl was intentionally covering her tracks. That I lost the trail so soon was coincidence."

"Meaning she wasn't being followed," Lory murmured.

"That is likely, Your Grace."

"And with no one coming after her, that lessens the likelihood of a runaway, or that she's someone important. How frustrating. And there were no clues as to where she had been educated?"

"None, Your Grace. From what I have gathered, her knowledge in cooking at least seems to be heavily influenced by far north traditions, but she does not have any sort of accent or dialect."

"Which means either very good education, or that her cooking knowledge is second hand. This keeps getting murkier." Sebastian said nothing, have no more to add. Lory drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair for a few minutes, thinking hard. He finally sighed. "I would send you up north, but we don't have enough to work with yet. And Maria will be here soon. I'll need you to fetch her, and stay close so that you can help me deal with her."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Keep your ears open," Lory commanded. "If you hear anything, let me know right away."

"Yes, Your Grace."

* * *

_Another special thanks to my reviewers. I was given some very helpful comments about my characters and about things that I still need to address. Thank you all for taking the time to comment about my story, to praise my work, and to encourage me. I'll try and keep the story moving along so that you can enjoy it._

_Thanks to Will for helping me while she is still so busy. This would not happen if it were not for her. Oh, look Will, I found the romance. Look, look, see! I found it! No, wait! Aw drat, it ran away... Quick Will, after it!  
_

_(To anyone who cares why the line in my beginning author's note is in quotes, I direct you to His Grace Justin Alastair, the Duke of Avon, hero of _These Old Shades_. I thought it was appropriate.)  
_


	10. Changing Hands

_The insanity continues. Enjoy._

* * *

Two weeks passed and Kyoko was in the kitchen when one of the servant girls came tearing into the room, screaming and crying. It took several minutes to get her calmed down enough to ask her what had happened. When she finally did speak it was in a fearful fury.

"Never again! I don't care if she is His Grace's, I'll_ never_ go near that _thing_ again!"

This was quickly explained to Kyoko to mean that His Grace Takarada's granddaughter had arrived at the palace for the season, and the young lady had driven yet another servant from her room.

Maria Takarada had been mentioned in hushed tones before, but Kyoko had never heard much about the girl. As far as Kyoko understood, the Takarada holding was managed solely by the Duke's widowed son, Kuoki Takarada. Kuoki's skills in management were excellent while his father was much better placed at the court, dealing with social matters and helping Their Majesties. As such, His Grace happily left his estate in his son's hands. In order to keep Maria involved with the court, she was sent to the palace to be with her grandfather through the fall and the winter. She was returned to her father in the spring.

Kyoko had gathered that the child was difficult to the staff, but she had never heard exactly how.

This was certainly not what she had been expecting.

"Was it terrible?" one of the other girls asked.

"Did she use snakes again?"

"Or toads?"

"_Spiders_!" the victim moaned. "Live spiders! She dropped them all over me! I didn't know what to do!"

She broke into sobs again while the other servants edged away from her, eyeing the ground suspiciously. The chef's wife stepped forward and tried to sooth the girl, but the sobbing and moaning only increased. People looked from one to another, trying to see if anyone else had a brilliant plan to calm the troubled girl.

It was not much later that His Grace arrived, in all of his eccentric glory, and apologized to the girl, who recovered most of her senses by the shock of seeing a Duke in full ball dress in the kitchen. She stuttered her own apologies for having angered his granddaughter, but declared that she would not be able to attend to the child again. It was beyond her courage.

"No, no, it's quite alright," the Duke reassured her. "I could hardly ask you to come back after how she treated you. I'll speak to her about her behavior and see what I can do." He looked up to the head chef. "Please let everyone know that if things go as they usually do, I'll be making the regular compensation."

"I'll make sure to do that, Your Grace," he responded in his usual gruff tone, his arms crossed.

"I appreciate it. My apologies, everyone. I'll leave you to get back to your work."

Everyone thanked him and he left. Kyoko looked at the head chef, very confused.

"We normally go through over half the staff by the end of the season, rotating people through cleaning the girl's room," her employer explained. "He pays us extra for it."

"All of us," his wife added. "Since those who don't end up helping with Miss Takarada have to take care of those who do, and we have to take over their work until they recover. It isn't a perfect system, but we can't do much else. And she really is a good girl, I'm sure…"

The looks of the other people in the room told Kyoko they thought otherwise, but she did wonder a little, what could cause a child to act this way.

In another part of the palace, Kuon sat quietly in his seat, trying to ignore the looks that people kept directing his way. He had come to enough of these meeting recently, one would have thought that everyone would be used to seeing him by now.

"We need to deal with the influx of guests that will be arriving," Kuu was telling the assembled company. "The staff that we have right now should be enough, but we need to make decisions on when we will be holding our meetings. We always end up putting them off, waiting for everyone to arrive, and then they start invading our midwinter festivities. Yukihito, you've drawn up some possible schedules?"

"I have, Your Majesty. If you'll all listen-"

Kuon took careful notes to avoid having to look at anyone, and to keep from drumming his fingers on the table. Technically, this had very little to do with him. He lived at the palace year round and Yukihito would tell him about any of the meetings that he needed to be at. But his father had requested that Kuon come, and so Kuon had.

"We might want to split the meeting of crop issues into two days," Kuu interrupted Yashiro's discourse at one point. "We can have an earlier one for all the people in the north who will be arriving first to avoid the bad weather. Then once everyone from the south arrives, we can have a second one. The two groups will be having different problems after all, and arriving at different times for the most part..."

A murmur of agreement was heard from around the table. It was interesting to Kuon to watch his father in this environment. Though King Kuu was frequently silly and eccentric around his family, it was incredible how focused he was when it came to his responsibilities.

It was one of the things that Kuon had always admired in his father.

Once the meeting ended, most people were quick to leave. It was time for lunch, and past time for the king to eat. The King and Crown Prince ended up walking to the dining hall together.

"Have fun?" Kuu asked as Kuon fell into step next to his father.

"Not much," Kuon admitted. "Though I continue to hold Yukihito in awe. How does he do it?"

"Practice," the king replied. "And an incredible talent. He's like you in that respect."

"Father-"

"Oh, I know you'd tear him to pieces at fencing," Kuu cut him off with a smile. "But you both have a natural understanding of people, and an eye for details."

"I didn't even think about rescheduling crop issues," Kuon pointed out with a sigh. Kuu chuckled and clapped his son on the shoulder.

"That wasn't Yukihito, Kuon, that was me. And that isn't the talent part, Kuon. It's the practice. More like experience, actually. I get into those meetings and they go on for hours and hours and we end up having this thing they dare to call _dinner_ brought to us. I _starve_, every time." Kuon smiled briefly.

"Well, it was also practical for everyone else," he pointed out. His father nodded in agreement.

"Yes. But you're plenty good about coming up with practical things to say too, Kuon. You just lack experience." Seeing his son was skeptical, Kuu sighed. "That was why I asked you to come today, Kuon. You might not need to make any decisions, but being involved in the process will teach you things that you'll need to know later. I thought you would appreciate that."

Kuon met his father's eyes in surprise.

"I- You… wanted me there?"

"I always want you around," Kuu scoffed, offended. "That's never changed, you idiot son! I just thought _you_ might actually want to be there this time. It seems like you've been trying to catch up on all the things that you've been missing."

"I… Thank you," Kuon said, pausing as he tried to compose himself. He had not been prepared to be taken so seriously by his father. He thought it would take much longer to regain a real trust from his parents. To have it offered so suddenly and casually was disconcerting.

Kuu's hand moved and Kuon responded instinctively, moving quickly enough to cover his forehead before his father could flick it.

"Stupid!" Kuu scolded. "I told you. I want you around. Now you want it too. So I'll help you. That's what parents do! They take care of their children."

Kuon smiled timidly.

"I think I'm still getting used to that," he admitted. His father gave an undignified snort.

"And that is why you are stupid. Now hurry up and get moving! I need lunch."

Kuon laughed and followed.

Later that evening in the kitchens, as the work roster was being drawn up for the next day, Maria's guest suit was particularly avoided. Kyoko sighed, but had figured that this would happen, and volunteered for the job. Some chuckled, others looked at her sympathetically.

"How long till she get's run off, do you think?" someone whispered.

"Not long. Even she's not_ that_ good."

Kyoko ignored the comments and the looks. She would figure out what would happen soon enough.

Kuon was finishing some work in his office before he went to bed. There was a soft knock on the door and it opened to reveal Queen Juliena, smiling softly.

"I'm sorry. Yukihito said that you were working, but I just wanted to speak with you for a minute."

"Of course," Kuon responded, standing to pull a chair out for his mother. She thanked him as she sat down and waited for him to get settled again.

"Working on something important?"

"Trying to sort some letters. Hidehito Kijima keeps writing me to ask if I know which ladies will be coming in this season. Since he hasn't given up yet in spite of the fact that I've told him I have no idea, I've been trying to think of the best way to ask Yukihito."

"Wait," his mother suggested. "We're still getting replies to various events for the season. He's putting together a rather extensive list. You can tell Hidehito to expect more ladies than most years, but the names haven't been finalized yet."

"Thank you," Kuon replied as he stretched his legs out. "But it wasn't to talk about my capricious correspondence that you came to see me."

"Oh, no. I wanted to talk to you about when would be a good time for you to have your fittings for your winter wardrobe."

Kuon winced.

"Never," he proposed mildly. His mother smiled.

"You know that won't work," she told him. "I've waited as long as I could, and I've worked my helpers to their wits end. I think it's finally time for me to let most of them go." She and Kuon shared a smile. "In any event, your father promised he would find time tomorrow. I can work with you after him, if you would like."

"But I'm so much more opinionated than he is," Kuon reminded her. It was moderately true. Kuon did not obsess over his clothing and was happy to let his mother design most of it. But some of her tendencies were in him, and he did have his own tastes. Kuu wore what his wife told him to. Kuon sometimes put his foot down.

"Then we'll have to schedule another day," his mother decided with a grin. Kuon shrugged.

"Is there a day that is good for you? My schedule is flexible."

"Three days from now would be good. That will give me time to fit your father, make adjustments, and then fit him again."

"Three days then," Kuon promised, helping his mother to rise from her chair. He pecked her cheek lightly.

"Oh Kuon, Yukihito is going to scold you again for flirting so shamelessly," Juliena teased. Kuon chuckled.

"Goodnight, Mother."

"Goodnight, Kuon."

The following morning saw Kyoko moving toward the special guest suits, none of her concern showing on her face. The truth was, she was very nervous. Maria was only ten years old, but she had been terrorizing the staff for years whenever she came to visit. What would she do?

Kyoko knocked firmly and not receiving an answer, she entered softly. Glancing around she saw no one in the room and received no response when she called out, but she knew that a small person could be hiding in any number of places. Still, she walked all the way in to the room and looked around.

The first thing she had noticed was that the curtains were still drawn tight, letting not even the tiniest sliver of morning light in. A few candles burned softly on a corner of the dresser, flickering in the mirror and expanding their light that way. But the only natural light came from the open door.

Kyoko quickly shut the door and tried to figure out where she should begin. Most of the surfaces were clear, such as the large desk in the middle of the room, and the table that sat a little to one side. But there was a portion of the dresser dedicated to something that looked suspiciously like a shrine. The object screamed importance, so Kyoko chose to ignore it for now and clean everything else first.

She made it through cleaning the entire room without mishap, but it was slow work in the dark. Kyoko was sure that Miss Takarada was in the room, and she did not feel comfortable letting any clearly unwanted light in. The hardest part was stepping carefully behind the closed curtain so that she could clean the window without disturbing the lighting of the room. And all the while she had the chilling feeling of being watched.

When she had finished with everything else, she finally moved to the dresser, avoiding the shrine until the last possible moment. When she did approach it, it was with no small amount of trepidation. Upon reaching it, she was surprised to see the portrait of a beautiful woman with golden hair and the sweetest smile. There were a dozen or so candles surrounding the portrait, a number of them engraved with what looked to have been a name. All that remained now was _Kuo-_.

Kyoko reached out, preparing to take care of this clearly valuable treasure, when suddenly she felt a sharp stab of pain on her leg. She looked down and saw a young girl, with the same golden hair as the woman in the portrait, staring up at her and holding a small knife in her hand. Looking at her leg, Kyoko noticed a cut in her dress and a fine trickle of blood coming from a long scratch.

"Don't touch it." The girl's voice was cold and held a distinctly mature note that should not be found in so young a person. Kyoko was torn for a moment as to what she should do, but eventually looked back to the shrine.

"It's very nice. For your mother, Miss?"

"Yes. She died five years ago because she got sick."

"It's hard," Kyoko murmured softly, "losing a parent you love."

"Hmmph, people dying is always sad. No one really cares." Kyoko frowned, but chose to ignore this.

"Whose name is on the candles?"

"The Prince's. I'm going to marry him," the girl declared, daring Kyoko to contradict her. Instead, the older girl smiled.

"Sounds like a good idea. He is very handsome. You'll look lovely next to him." Maria froze, surveying Kyoko critically.

"I'll have to fight for him."

"Of course. He's the Crown Prince. You'll have to chase away all the unworthy girls that will try and get him before you, Miss." Maria paused, still staring, very curious now.

"Do you really believe he'll marry me?" Kyoko thought about it for a moment and looked back at the portrait on the dresser.

"Well, I can't say that it won't be a trial to keep him unmarried until you're old enough. You do have a ways to go before it can really be approved of. But men often wait till they are older to get married, and if you're even half as beautiful as your mother by then, you'll have no problem stealing him away from all the other silly girls."

Maria's face seemed to brighten, but then turned stern again.

"It's no use. Even if you're right, no one loves me anymore. Not now that Mama died."

"Not even your father?"

"No! He hates me! It's all my fault Mama died. If I hadn't gotten sick…"

She started to choke on her words, and Kyoko reached down to gently pat her head.

"Your father loved your mother a lot, didn't he?" The little girl sniffled.

"Yes…"

"He loves you?"

"When Mama was alive. He was busy all the time, but he was always kind when he was home. I think… I think he loved me. Then."

"He blamed you?"

"Not in front of me. No one ever did that. Grandpapa told them not to. He never lets anyone say anything. I don't think he blames me, but I don't think he ever blames anyone for anything. Not me, not Papa, who doesn't love me, not the Prince, even though people say he isn't doing what he's supposed to."

"A kind grandfather."

"Yes."

She had calmed down a little, seeming to be comforted by these thoughts.

"And your mother loved you a lot as well. She never left your side while you were sick, right?"

"How-"

"She could only get sick if she had been close to you. And for a long time, if she couldn't fight it off herself afterwards. She probably worried about you the entire time. She didn't want to leave your side."

"So, it really is my fault…" Her gloomy aura returned and she pulled away from Kyoko's hand. Kyoko watched her for a moment, and made a cautious decision.

"It wasn't your fault, Miss Maria. It was her fault." Maria looked up at her in surprise and anger.

"Mama didn't do anything wrong!"

"I didn't say that. I said it was her fault that she died. You know that right? Even though everyone says it was your fault, you know she chose to stay with you because she loved you."

"I asked her to stay!"

"Isn't that what a parent does when they love you? They stay when you ask them to."

"Then why did she die! If they stay if they love you, why did she die? Did she not love me?" Maria was crying in earnest this time, and Kyoko knelt to comfort her, ignoring the pain in her leg and pulling the small girl onto her lap. When Maria had quieted a little, Kyoko began to speak to her, softly.

"It's hard, isn't it? They leave you behind, even though they promise they love you. They leave you behind with all kind of people who don't love you the same way, and you don't know what to do. You don't want them gone, you don't want a world where they don't exist. You just keep going, fighting the feelings inside you however you can. You're still mourning, but everyone else moves on…"

"It's not fair!"

"No. It isn't fair. Good people shouldn't die. Not when they're doing good things for people they love. Not when they didn't do anything wrong." Kyoko's voice caught in her throat and Maria stopped crying to watch her.

"Did… did your mother die too?"

"Yes, but I was little when she died. I never really knew her. But my father died as well, when I was older. He loved me very much. It was hard… no, it's still hard. Every day, it's hard. Missing a person you love is very hard."

Maria was quiet for a moment.

"Will you be careful with her?"

"Of course I'll be careful with your mother. She's precious. I'll take good care of her. And your father…"

"What?" Kyoko smiled.

"No one wants to be hated by their parent, Miss Maria. And the Prince doesn't seem like the kind of man who would hate you for something you could not control. And, unless I'm very much mistaken, your father's name is _Kuo_ki."

"But still-"

"It might be a bit presumptuous of me, Miss, but you don't seem like the kind of girl who would be satisfied with getting a man by anything other than your own power." Maria giggled at this portrait of herself and nodded. "Then, I'll take care of things, Miss."

"Yes!"

It was not surprising that Kyoko left Maria's rooms and went straight to the infirmary. If a person was capable of leaving Maria's room under their own power, they frequently needed some sort of calming draught from the physician. What was surprising was that the girl went with her, walking next to Kyoko and chatting at her happily.

The staff could not believe it. Takenori was in shock when they arrived, but promptly went to work treating the cut. Maria seemed distressed when she realized how deep the injury was, but both the physician and the patient reassured her that it would not be a problem.

Later that evening, after supper, the Prince invited Maria to come with her grandfather and sit with the family. She was excited to be included, and gushed to the assembled company about the wonderful young woman who had cleaned her room that day. She was the most amazing, intelligent, nice person that Maria had ever met, and she hoped that the girl would be cleaning her room the next day as well.

"If she does, you'll be very lucky," her grandfather pointed out. "You actually hurt her, Maria. You know Takenori always tells me when he has to treated people that you've troubled, but you've never been so violent before. I'm surprised she stayed to talk with you at all."

Maria hung her head.

"She was going to touch Mama," the little girl whispered. "I'm _very_ sorry."

Lory sighed. Punishments had never been very effective on Maria, and he tried not to do useless things that would make her mistrust him. When he had been told that Maria had actually hurt Kyoko, he had worried a good deal about how he would take care of this. But it seemed as though his granddaughter was plenty full of remorse, and would not be repeating the act.

"Alright. But I'm not the one that you should be apologizing to. Miss Kyoko works hard around the palace and does very good work. And she was very polite to you."

Maria drooped further and Kuon frowned when he heard Kyoko's name.

"I know. If she comes again tomorrow, should I apologize then?"

"Yes. And if she doesn't, we're going to have to go and find her so that you can apologize. Is that clear?"

"Yes, Grandfather. I'm sorry." Lory took her little hand in his own.

"I know. And I think Miss Kyoko knows too. Takenori said she was much more worried about you getting into trouble for such a little thing."

Maria looked awed and horrified, as well as everyone else in the room.

"Little thing? Oh, Grandfather!"

Kuon shifted uncomfortably and his mother looked at him worriedly. They had not talked about Kyoko since Kuon had mentioned the incident in the library, but both wondered if she was still having trouble. Kuu and Yukihito, though not acquainted with Kyoko, were also disturbed. Lory reassured his granddaughter, but noted the reactions of the other people in the room.

Apparently, he was not the only one interested in this young lady.

The next morning found both Lory and his granddaughter sitting in her room, playing a game of cards together as they waited for Kyoko to arrive. When she at last appeared, Kyoko knocked and entered quietly, stopping in surprise when she saw that Lory was present. She made a quick curtsy.

"Your Grace, Miss Maria, I apologize. I'll return later to-"

"No, please don't go!" Maria begged. "I'm very sorry about yesterday. I really shouldn't have hurt you and I hope you'll forgive me." Kyoko smiled.

"Of course. I'm happy to accept your apology, Miss Maria. I'm sorry that you were anxious. I was sure that your mother was important, and you were plenty worried yesterday when you went with me to see Takenori. It's just fine."

"Then, do you think you could teach me how to take care of Mama today? You were so careful yesterday, and I want to make sure I take care of her when I have to go home in the spring. Can you teach me?"

"Of course, Miss Maria. Should we do that first? If His Grace doesn't mind."

Lory had been watching her intently, carefully observing this girl who had recently become a point of interest for him. He smiled at her now as she looked to him for permission to steal his granddaughter away from their game.

"I can hardly keep Maria away from her mother, and it would be the height of folly to not allow her to learn something new. Especially given that she wouldn't cooperate with her tutors for her other studies. By all means, please educate my granddaughter."

Maria stuck out her tongue and grabbed Kyoko's hand, dragging the girl over to the dresser and demanding what they should do first.

"Say 'please,'" Kyoko replied instinctively, a leftover reaction from when her stepsisters had fist arrived in her home and her father had instructed Kyoko to help them with their unsocial behaviors. Maria gave her an incredulous look, and Kyoko realized what she had done and stiffened in embarrassment. Lory bit his finger to stifle a chuckle.

"Please Kyoko, what should we do first?" came the sickly sweet reply. Kyoko shook her head, but helped the child to dust and polish all of the surfaces. Then she explained a number of other things that would be done less frequently to help keep the portrait and its holder clean at all times. She showed Maria several tricks for keeping the candles looking nice without disrupting their magic and when she was done bowed her head demurely to the portrait.

Then Kyoko turned to the Duke.

"Your Grace, I can begin on the other rooms of the suite if you and Miss Maria wish to stay, or I can return later."

"I see no reason for you to delay on our account. If you don't mind Maria trailing you, of course. You seem to have caught her interest with all this cleaning. I don't think I will be finishing this game."

"My apologies, Your Grace."

"No need. I wish my granddaughter to be entertained while she is here. If I do not serve, then I will gladly accept any help you would be willing to give in that area."

"I don't think she will be in the way, Your Grace. If you have anything else you require of me when I am finished…"

"I will let you know immediately."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Kyoko, can I really watch you?" Maria asked, excited.

"If you would like. It will be boring, I suspect. But I don't think you'll be in the way."

"Then, Grandpapa, I resign."

"And I am resigned to your resignation. Would you mind if I stayed here, however? I am trying to avoid His Majesty, who wishes to drown his most recent troubles of having volunteered to help his wife by reveling in recollections of his son's childhood." Maria giggled and Kyoko covered her mouth to hide a smile.

"Yes. That's fine, Grandpapa."

Maria followed Kyoko about the suite of rooms, asking her questions about what she was doing and maintaining a fairly dull conversation about the various ways one prepared a room for a special guest. But Lory was fascinated as partway through, Kyoko managed to turn the conversation towards appropriate decorum for a lady. Most particularly the use of "please" and "thank you" and a well placed compliment.

"After all," Kyoko said as she tugged at the bedspread, "there's no harm in thanking a person for a good service rendered, Miss. And even if that seems as plain as day, there's an even better use for a polite and gentle request."

"What?" Kyoko's smile became mischievous.

"Why, there's almost no better way to give a person a good set down than to ask them, _very_ politely if they won't_ please_ oblige you in a small task that must _of course_ be troublesome to them. Oh you don't _mean_ to be a bother, but you would be _so_ grateful if they would simply help you just this _once_. It isn't perfect, but it does work wonders."

"Really?"

"Of course. But you know, you absolutely must be sincere, otherwise you just sound haughty, and of course that _won't_ do. That's why you have to practice. You can't pretend to be sincere if you haven't ever been sincere before. So you thank people sincerely when they help you, because it is nice to those people and it helps you prepare for when you have to be clever."

Maria thought about this for a moment, then looked directly at Kyoko.

"Thank you for teaching me how to clean Mama's portrait."

"It was my pleasure, Miss Maria." The girl frowned.

"I don't want you to keep calling me 'Miss Maria.' It sounds silly. You should just call me by my name."

"I'm afraid that it might not be proper for me to do so, Miss." Maria turned to her grandfather, who could be seen in the adjoining room through the doorway.

"Grandpapa, I don't want to be called Miss!"

"Well then, it's a good thing your name is Maria, isn't it?"

"Grandfather! Please can Kyoko call me by my name?"

"I'll consider it."

"That's not-" she was cut off by a discreet cough by Kyoko. She looked to the older girl who ignored her and continued to do her work. Maria turned back to her grandfather. "Thank you for considering the matter," she mumbled quietly. Lory smiled and nodded, looking behind his granddaughter to the girl still quietly cleaning the room.

"Well, as much as you are having fun, I think you promised the Prince you would go riding with him this afternoon, Maria. He is probably waiting for you by now." Maria gasped with glee and Lory thought he saw a small smile peek onto Kyoko's face.

"I'm sorry Kyoko, but I…" The older girl nodded to the younger one.

"Of course. A young lady should always keep her engagements, particularly those with the Crown Prince. I'll just finish up here, Miss."

"Thank you!" she smiled as she ran for the door, giving a belated curtsy to Lory on her way out. "Thank you for playing with me, Grandfather. I'm sorry we didn't finish." Lory's smile broadened.

"Out with you, silly. The Prince is waiting." And with that she was off.

Kyoko continued to clean the room in silence, glancing up every so often as Lory continued to watch her, a contemplative look on his face. Eventually she turned to him.

"Your Grace, if I'm in the way I can leave and return later." Lory was amused, but shook his head.

"I'm afraid, if anything, I'm in your way. Or at least making you uncomfortable. The truth is that I wanted to speak with you, and I was waiting for you to finish. But perhaps it would be better to speak now and get out of your way."

"Your Grace has something to ask of me?" Lory sighed.

"I've tried every trick up my sleeve." Lory stated bluntly. "I've hired every tutor I could get my hands on, every servant that could boast a strong constitution and a basic vocabulary. I've worked with her personally, I've even had Kuon try to teach her, though I don't ever want to remember how that went. My granddaughter is a handful, and has been very difficult since her mother's death. I feel obliged to bring her out here so that the staff at my holding can recuperate, but it kills the staff here. You are the first human being she has shown any deference to and she even obeys you."

"She listens to my suggestions, Your Grace."

"Yes, and perhaps if you had any real authority over her, she would dislike you. But I'm willing to try anything at this point. I believe that you were the young lady that wrote the invitations for Maria's last party."

"Yes, Your Grace. Your assistant came and asked me to do the task, if I remember correctly."

"Sebastian was grateful that you took the job. He's busy enough without having to write dozens of formal letters. I understand from him that you not only did a good job, but showed hints of a rather extensive education."

"Yes, but no experience with teaching, if I understand Your Grace."

"You understand me. I know that you have duties here, but I imagine that it would be a great relief if you would take over watching Maria while she is here. And I don't necessarily expect you to catch her up on all the things she has been ignoring. But if you could continue to encourage her in even the most basic forms of courtesy I would be eternally in your debt. And if you could get her to return to her other studies, I would personally see to it that you never went a day in the rest of your life without very comfortable employment."

Kyoko could hardly breathe.

"That… is a very generous offer Your Grace. And I would be more than willing to serve you and your granddaughter to the best of my ability while she is here. But I am afraid I can make Your Grace absolutely no promises that things will go well."

"I am aware of this. I ask only that you do your best. And avoid getting hurt," he added, glancing towards where Maria would have cut her the day before.

"I understand. If Your Grace would permit me to talk to the Head Chef? I'm technically in his charge, but I suspect he will be willing to lend me to this particular cause."

"That's fine. If you don't mind, would you mind reporting to me later this evening? After supper? I'll retreat to my own library tonight and we can discuss the particulars there, so long as you can be spared."

"It should not be a problem. Until this evening then, Your Grace."

"Until this evening," he replied as he rose and made his way to the door. "Miss Kyoko."

* * *

_Am I the only person who thinks Lory is one of the most interesting characters ever? Ren and Kyoko are fun to read about because they are wrapped up in all things suspenseful and romantical, but Lory has flair. And brilliance. Ah well._

_Thanks again to my reviewers, my readers, and the people who keep telling themselves every time I post a chapter that this story is stupid and they will never touch it again, and then read the next chapter when I update. I'm not sure how many of the last kind are out there, since they don't review, but I'm sure there are at least a few. Thanks again to Will for all her hard work as my beta. Even as we speak, she is still trying to help me catch that blasted romance that keeps running away from me, in between checking my spelling and reminding me that people cannot read my mind while they are reading my fic. She keeps me in line... at least a little.  
_

_Now... after the romance!  
_


	11. Responsiblities

_Plodding along... For your enjoyment, the next installment._

* * *

"Thank you for taking me riding, Prince Kuon," Maria told him as they made their way back to the stables. Kuon looked down at the young girl in front of him in surprise.

"Of course. It was my pleasure," he responded. "But we haven't finished yet you know. I might do something careless and drop you yet." He was teasing and Maria giggled, but she answered him seriously.

"Yes. But Kyoko said that I should thank people sincerely when I feel like I can. And since you haven't dropped me yet, now is a good time. Don't you think?" Kuon smiled.

"Yes, that's a very good idea. Kyoko?"

"She did come back today and I apologized. Then she taught me how to take care of Mama's portrait. And then she talked with me while she was cleaning. She told me that if I wanted to be a proper lady, I needed to be better about being polite. So I've been trying to remember to say 'thank you' to people when I'm grateful."

"She told you that you had to be more polite?"

"Well, she didn't say it just like that. But I think she's right. Because she said it, but she said it so nicely I didn't get angry. I think she'd be a great lady, if she wasn't a servant."

"You might not have known her long enough," Kuon pointed out. "I think she would frighten her retainers."

"You know her?"

"A little. I think she is supposed to work in the kitchen, but from what I've seen, she does all the hard jobs that everyone else avoids. Most of the times I have seen her, she's been up a ladder, or some other dangerous place."

"She said that cleaning my room was nicer than hunting for dead mice," Maria innocently confided. "I guess people wouldn't really want a mistress that hunted for dead mice because no one else wanted to." Kuon laughed.

"You're right. And she does seem like the kind of woman that would do it, even if she did have servants to do it for her."

"Do you think so?" Maria asked.

"Definitely," Kuon replied.

They reached the stables then. Kuon dismounted, picked Maria out of the saddle, and placed her carefully on the ground.

"Thank you for getting me all the way back without dropping me," she said as she dropped a small curtsy and gave him a wicked smile. All of the stable hands present looked at her in astonishment.

"I'm glad I could please you," Kuon said as he gave her a sweeping bow and reached for her hand. She giggled and when he had risen allowed him to lead her inside.

Down in the kitchens, Kyoko approached the Head Chef nervously. He noticed her immediately, sensed that she had something to say, and set down what he was working on, giving her his full attention.

"What's wrong?" he asked, arms crossed.

"Nothing's wrong, sir. I'm sorry to bother you just now, but the Duke has a request for me, and I'm supposed to see him tonight just after supper."

"That shouldn't be a problem. You don't need to tell me that."

"The thing is…" Kyoko took a deep breath. "He wants me to be Miss Maria's companion during the rest of her stay here." The chef's eyes narrowed and flicked towards her leg before darting back up.

"No."

"Sir-"

"You're a good worker and it's good that you don't ever give up on your jobs. But you need to be in one piece to work."

"Miss Maria already apologized for hurting me, and she was talking with me the whole time I cleaned her room this morning. I think I'll be safe, and I think she would like for me to be around."

"Guests are coming. You need to be working in here."

"His Grace thinks that his granddaughter will listen to me. If she does, she won't be bothering the rest of the staff, and everyone will have an easier time. Please, if you still need help I can find time early in the morning or some other time to work in here. But Miss Maria really needs someone to look after her."

The chef watched her for a moment, liking the determination in her eyes for all that he did worry about her leaving his care.

"Fine." Then he smiled. "I will take over for the Prince again."

Kyoko almost cringed, but she did not capitulate.

"Thank you, sir. I'm sorry to be such a burden."

The chef did not reply, but gave her a look that clearly stated that he did not appreciate her description of herself. She was confused by the message, but took it as a reprimand and went to work on making the best meal that she could for the Prince.

Kuon enjoyed his dinner that night a great deal. He would not have had he realized then that it would be the last meal that he would enjoy for quite some time. He conversed with Yukihito as he ate, trying to understand a number of the things that he would need for the upcoming meetings.

When Kyoko reached Lory's library later that evening, she was surprised to find that he was not alone, as she had been led to believe. The person sitting across from him, engaged in telling an intense story was none other than King Kuu Hizuri, and both men gave her a warm smile when they noticed her. She dropped a deep curtsy.

"Your Majesty, Your Grace. I apologize. I didn't realize…" she had no idea what to say under these circumstances.

"It's my fault," Lory told her mildly. "I couldn't escape His Majesty's reminiscences after all. You have saved me from any more of them."

"Now really," Kuu grumbled, reaching for a glass in front of him and shooting a glare at the Duke. Kyoko could not decide whether to be amused or not. There was a familiarity between the two men that made the teasing ease her own spirit, but she was still nervous of her sovereign.

"In any event, I won't be able to keep this from Kuu, and as such I don't mind talking about it in front of him. You are in his employ, technically, so I suppose he deserves to know. So, he will be staying, but he shouldn't have anything to say, so feel free to treat him as part of the furniture. Think of it as payback for all the years of being ignored that you've endured."

Kyoko stiffened a little, but reassured herself that he could only assume she had always been a servant of some kind, and could not be referring to her time with her stepmother. She nodded slowly.

"I understand, Your Grace. But… if you'll forgive me, I'm not sure I can treat His Majesty _quite_ like furniture." Lory and Kuu both smiled.

"Well, I can hardly ask you to do the impossible. Though I feel that is what my request for you is in general. Would you sit down?"

He gestured to a chair opposite the two men and Kyoko hesitated only for a moment before taking her place there. Her grace impressed both men. Lory appreciated her tolerance of his humor. The king liked her presence. She had a certain confidence, even when speaking to two such official people, one of whom, she had not been expecting.

Kuu had begun to suspect that Lory had taken an interest in the girl, in the way that he took interest in most people. The Duke felt it his sole duty to know everything about everyone, and this girl was certainly full of secrets. The King hoped she led Lory on a wild chase to figure them out. His friend and adviser had been bored for a long time now.

"I'm guessing that you still remember why I've asked to meet with you," Lory said as he shifted into a more formal sitting position.

"As I understand, Your Grace wants me to take charge of watching over your granddaughter."

"It's a bit more complicated than that," he admitted. "Miss Kyoko, how extensive would you say your educations is? I know that you can read and write. You also seem to have a certain amount of medicinal knowledge. You carry yourself well and you're comfortable in the palace environment, where most new servants have trouble keeping titles and behaviors straight."

"I'm not sure how exactly to answer Your Grace," Kyoko said carefully. "I can read and write, as you've noticed. I've read a number of books, including those on deportment and etiquette. But my education has been mostly self-motivated. I learned what I was interested in, and what I had the means and time to study."

"How much did you study?" Kyoko hesitated.

"I'm not sure, Your Grace. I had some more time when I was younger, but I've been busy for so long… I haven't had a chance to study in a number of years."

"I see. But you're comfortable in social situations?"

"Your Grace?"

"The advice you were giving Maria this morning, about her behavior. You're comfortable dealing with people."

"I… am good at keeping out of people's way, Your Grace," Kyoko told him. Lory smiled, but did not point out that her suggestion to Maria that morning had had very little to do with staying out of anyone's way.

"Well, in any event, you're composed. Would you feel comfortable trying to direct Maria in her studies?"

"I could do so, if Your Grace wishes. But I assumed that I would be more of a companion for Miss Maria."

"She does need an attendant. Someone who can keep up with her as she goes about the palace. Someone who will keep her out of trouble but make sure she isn't bored while she is here. Someone who is willing to discipline her if she does wrong, and someone who will come to me if she is in need of a severe scolding."

"Someone who could determine between a situation that required a mild scolding and a severe one," Kyoko suggested quietly. "Your Grace," she added with a small flush.

"Yes, exactly that. Your room would be relocated. You would stay in her suite during the rest of her stay here. I would rely on you to put together a reasonable schedule, as you learn what you and she could both handle. I'd like her to spend time outside, at studies if possible, and also learning any skill that you would be willing to teach her. I don't know what you will be able to interest her in, or how long you can get her to stick to it. You'll have to be the judge of that."

"That is fine Your Grace, but I imagine that you have some expectations…"

"If she is willing to do anything that you ask her to, I have some things I would like for her to accomplish long term. Especially if you are willing to take over her formal education." He handed her a rather long list, and Kyoko was proud that her hand did not tremble. "These are the areas of study that she has not completed. The ones that are marked, she has been introduced to, but I haven't been able to test her proficiency. As far as things like riding and sword practice, rather than having you teach her, I hope that you can help her get along with her instructors."

"Swordsmanship, Your Grace?"

"I don't expect her to master anything, but I think I'm crazy enough to want my granddaughter to have a little more skill than the average young lady. For situations that one cannot normally account for, I suppose you could say. I'm not a fan of the idea of damsels in distress."

"That makes sense, Your Grace."

Truthfully, rather than being skeptical, Kyoko was envious. She had had similar thoughts herself, and had discussed with both her sisters how nice it would be if people did not think that females were so delicate. It was hardly practical for a woman to need to be saved all the time.

She could not know that some of her thoughts leaked onto her face, but Lory noticed and a clever idea sprang to his mind.

"I imagine that the easiest way to accomplish conciliating her to her teachers is to take those particular lessons with her. I am sure it will cause you some trouble, particularly once we leave, but perhaps by then your fellow staff will have reconciled themselves to your work."

It took every ounce of Kyoko's willpower not to blush at his frank description of her troubles. But she managed it.

"Perhaps it will dissuade them," she suggested as lightly as she could. The King gave a small laugh and Lory kindly refrained from pointing out the lack of title.

"I doubt it. But if you show enough skill, that might be the case. In any event, I would like you to begin as soon as possible. Tomorrow would be best, if you can manage it."

"That should not be too much trouble, Your Grace. But I am wondering…"

"Yes?"

"If I am to be with Maria at all times, who will be caring for her rooms?" Lory thought about this.

"I can't be sure," he admitted, "but I think if you spoke to her about the issue, you might reach a compromise. I think her greatest fear is for her mother's portrait. I know she holds it very dear. If the two of you took care of that and the staff was clearly told that they were not to touch it, she might agree to letting someone else in."

"I think that might be arranged, Your Grace."

"Excellent. If not, you can tell her she'll be cleaning her own rooms."

"If Your Grace doesn't mind, I'm not sure that will discourage her very much."

"Not at first, but after a day or so, she will probably change her mind."

"Very likely, Your Grace."

"Then, shall we move you to your new quarters?"

"Ah- if by we, you mean me, I think I can do so myself, Your Grace, yes. I believe I know which room you were planning on, if it isn't too presumptuous."

"Actually, I did mean we, in the sense that at the very least, I could go and inform my granddaughter that you would be moving into her rooms tonight. If it isn't too presumptuous."

She became flustered at this point and tried to reassure him that she had not meant any offense, repeatedly bowing in her sitting position. Lory let her continue, but Kuu finally interrupted, feeling sorry for her.

"Really Lory, she's a good child. You don't have to do that to her." The Duke caved.

"My apologies, Miss Kyoko. I shouldn't have teased you."

She mumbled a quiet indifference, still slightly flushed, and he dismissed her kindly, telling her he would probably see her again when he took Maria to bed. Kyoko curtsied again and made her escape.

"She's interesting," Kuu commented, a moment after she had closed the door.

"Yes. Yes she is, isn't she?"

"And you don't know where she's from?"

"Not yet," Lory admitted with a sigh.

"Well, try not to scare her off. I understand she does good work, and I'd like her to stay once you're through with her."

"I promise I won't scare her away, but I won't give you my word that I won't steal her. Not if Maria gets along with her."

"I suppose I have no right to keep her from you."

"Not really, though it's more her choice than ours."

"True enough…"

Kyoko placed her last item in the small chest of drawers in her new room and looked up at her new quarters. They were a little larger than her old room, and there was no lock on the door. But she had little fear that people would disturb her here.

There had been mixed reactions when she had informed the rest of the staff of her job change. The older staff did not want her to leave her current duties. The younger staff did not like her getting so much attention from such important people. No one, however, was willing to take her place. There was some jealousy that she had managed to survive with Maria, but for the most part people felt pity. They assumed Kyoko was simply too stubborn to give up on any job, and now she was getting her just reward.

She hoped they continued to feel that way. She did not think she would be having too much trouble in her new position, and she did not want to deal with the jealousy that could appear once Maria was gone.

"Take care," the chef's wife had told her, helping her pack her few things into a trunk to carry to her new room. "My husband doesn't say it, but I know he worries about how you are doing here."

Kyoko had looked up in surprise.

"He's worried?"

"He doesn't feel comfortable with how much you've gotten hurt," she had explained. Kyoko's face had fallen.

"I don't mean to cause trouble-"

"That isn't it, dear," the woman had interrupted, smiling sadly. "We just care about you very much."

Kyoko had been to confused to answer.

Now, she heard the door to the desk room open and Kyoko stepped out to greet her new charge. Maria dashed to her immediately and grabbed in her a tight hug. Kyoko returned the hug softly, but carefully.

"Hello, Miss Maria."

"Just Maria. Grandpapa said it was okay if you just used my name."

"Then, hello Maria. Good evening, Your Grace," she greeted as Lory stepped into the room at a more sedate pace.

"Miss Kyoko. I trust you'll be able to handle getting Maria to bed. She'll tell you anything important that you need to know."

"I'll take care of her right away, Your Grace."

"Thank you. Oh, I also forgot to mention, I know that you're outfitted for your work around the palace, but you'll be seeing a dressmaker with Maria tomorrow. She needs a new wardrobe for the winter season, and you'll need to be redressed as her companion."

"I understand, Your Grace. The charges-"

"My bill entirely. You are working this position for me and I will see to it that you are fitted properly, especially given the special nature of your assignment. I can hardly ask you to produce a new wardrobe out of nowhere."

"Your Grace is generous."

"My Grace is not stupid or stingy," he retorted. Kyoko gave him a small smile, but he thought he saw something else in her eyes.

"Of course not, Your Grace. Shall we get you to bed, Maria?" The girl nodded enthusiastically and Lory left.

Kuu returned to his own library to find that his wife had already taken herself to bed. Only his son remained, idly flipping through a book that did not seem to be holding his attention.

"Bored," Kuu asked, as he took a seat next to his son. Kuon shrugged.

"A little. I told myself I wasn't allowed to go to sleep until I had finished reading this. But I forgot to take into account how much the book would make me want to sleep."

"What are you reading?"

"Weather patterns over the past hundred years or so. It's a summary someone put together based on the crop reports that came in."

"That does sound tedious."

"Yes, well, if you needed something I am perfectly willing to be distracted." Kuu chuckled.

"I'm perfectly willing to be a distraction. Lory's in high humor tonight."

"I noticed. He asked me to watch Maria after dinner and if he weren't a mostly dignified noble I swear he would have skipped out the door. Did he tell you what he was up to?"

"I cornered him in the hall and tagged along. It isn't safe to let him be up to something and not know anything about it."

"That's true. What did you find out?"

"His Grace has at last managed to find a female that has control over Maria. He's hired her for the season to be Maria's companion and to see if she can get Maria back to her studies."

"Would this be Miss Kyoko?"

"Yes. How did you know? Wait, I forgot. Is there a girl in this palace that you don't know everything about?" Kuon rolled his eyes.

"Yes, there are plenty of girls that I don't know very much about. Maria told me herself earlier today that Miss Kyoko had been talking to her and had more or less scolded her for not being polite."

"Really? She doesn't seem like the scolding type."

"You mean Kyoko? I don't think Maria would hesitate to scold anyone. But she said Miss Kyoko did it nicely, and I'm not sure what that means. Especially given that Maria was the one saying it."

"True enough," Kuu conceded. Then he laughed. "I guess this means Miss Kyoko won't be working in the kitchens anymore. It's a pity. I've never had as few complaints about his workers from the Head Chef as when she was working down there."

"Lovely," Kuon groaned, realization dawning on him.

"What? You don't have to hear his complaints."

"No, but unless I am much mistaken, Miss Kyoko has been the one making most of my food for quite some time now."

"Ah, and you are about to be handed back to our lovely chef. Oh well. I'm sure you'll adjust," Kuu said reassuringly.

"That's what the Head Chef says," Kuon retorted. His father shrugged apologetically.

"It will only be until the season is over."

"Unless the Duke tries to steal her. He's already threatened to, hasn't he." Kuu nodded.

"I guess we'll just have to give her better reasons to stay," Kuu told his son as he stood. "Now, I think I had better leave you to your book. Try to not stay up too late."

"Yes, Father."

Kyoko pulled up the covers as Maria snuggled into her pillows. The younger girl sighed happily.

"Will you need anything else, Mis- Maria?"

"No, I'll be just fine." She paused for a moment. "Kyoko... Mama used to tell me stories before I went to bed. Do you think..."

"Of course," Kyoko replied, looking around for a moment and finding a chair that she could sit in. "What kind of stories did she tell you?"

"Oh, all sorts. She would tell me stories about her and Papa, or stories about when she first met Grandpapa and how silly he was, or legends about the kingdom. And faerie tales! Those were my favorites." Kyoko smiled.

"Those are my favorites too. How about a faerie tale tonight?"

* * *

_Whew, another chapter. At least things are still moving._

_Thanks to all of the enthusiastic reviewers with all of their many compliments. I appreciate the time that you take to just say a few words. And I really appreciate those of you that have lots of words to direct me with. You really have helped me to write a better story. Thanks also to Will, who has helped me to finally trap the romance in a jar, and is now ponderously poking it. I have reason to believe it will escape again before I can put it to good use, but oh well. Running is beneficial exercise. It helps to balance out all the hours I sit in front of this computer typing away._

_Will, is the jar leaking?  
_


	12. Learning Experience

_Oh dear... Um, enjoy the chapter. I'm just going to... *Will, why is the jar half empty?*_

* * *

Kyoko woke the next morning with a start, jerking up and twisting around as she tried to figure out where she was. It was the wrong room, too nice, too clean, not home, not near the kitchen-

_"Oh."_

Kyoko sighed in relief as her brain finished waking and she remembered where she was. Her hands stroked the sheets slowly as she looked around the room in the dim light, taking in the dresser, her small trunk pressed up against the wall, and the heavy curtains pulled closed across the window. She frowned at the drapes and stood, throwing them open and letting the earliest tints of morning light filter into the room. It was not much brighter, but Kyoko sighed happily. She could almost imagine she was back at home, in her old, old room, greeting the dawn happily and waiting for the serving girl to come in and tell her that her father was awake-

Kyoko dashed away a tear and turned from the window to get dressed. Crying would solve nothing. That life was over.

She got ready quickly, then pulled out the list that the Duke had given her the night before. Moving over to the light coming in through the window, Kyoko brought her writing instruments and started taking notes. She knew at least a little about all of the subjects that Maria would hopefully be studying, but she would need to plan carefully so that she could teach them properly. She worked on her plans until the sun was firmly up in the sky, then set her project aside and went to wake her charge.

"Good morning, Maria," Kyoko greeted as she stepped into the girl's room and flung open the curtains. Maria groaned and rolled over, pulling her blankets over her head to avoid the light.

"It's early," came a muffled grumble from the bed. Kyoko just smiled and walked over, yanking the sheets off Maria's head.

"It is early. But the dressmaker is coming this morning and if you want breakfast before she arrives, you need to get up now."

"We can skip breakfast," the little girl suggested as she rubbed her eyes and blinked, sitting up.

"No skipping breakfast. It's a bad habit to skip any of your meals. You have to keep your strength up all day. Especially today, since your going to have to be standing for your dress fitting."

"Prince Kuon skips breakfast," Maria pointed out. Kyoko frowned but shook her head.

"That doesn't make it a good thing, Maria. You'll just have to set a good example for him."

"Oh, alright," Maria sighed as she slipped out of bed.

Dress fitting was exhausting. It was a constant battle between Kyoko and the dressmaker assigned to designing for both Kyoko and Maria. The woman had been called on every year to dress Miss Maria, and was used to the little Takarada being on her most deceptive behavior. She refused to believe that Kyoko could control the girl and there was a very impressive argument between the two women as to whether or not Maria should be restrained in some way.

Kyoko won.

If Maria had been inclined at all not to listen to her new caretaker before the argument, she would not have had any temptation afterwards. She tried on the few dresses that had been brought and helped Kyoko pick out some more outfits for her. All the while, Kyoko impressed her charge by deftly handling the dressmaker.

"She said please so nicely," Maria cooed later to Kuon, as Kyoko was being fitted. The Prince laughed.

"How did things go after that?"

"You wouldn't believe it. Grandpapa never deals with tradespeople because money isn't really an issue, but Kyoko kept thrashing that woman over every outfit, arguing if it was necessary, if it was nice enough, how on earth could that little silk cost such a stupid amount? Well, she said it more nicely than that, but that hag didn't know what to do with her. I wish I were in there now, but Kyoko sent me out."

"Did she?" Kuon asked, looking suspiciously at the door.

Maria would have been very happy if she could have heard the conversation going on between the two women as Kyoko was fitted for a new wardrobe. It involved Kyoko saying "No," very curtly over and over again.

"Here are some ideas for your dresses," the dressmaker told Kyoko, laying out some sketches and some color swatches.

"What is this?" Kyoko demanded, pointing at the design on top.

"A dress, Miss."

"I'm dressing as the companion of a young lady, not a court damsel. This is not acceptable."

"Very well. Then would Miss prefer this?" A design was pulled from the bottom of the stack.

"I'm not an old maid and I refuse to dress like a matron. Do I look like a widow?" The dressmaker's lips pursed.

"No, Miss. Perhaps this style and cut would be alright?"

"No, it is not alright!" Kyoko snapped, losing patience with the woman. "I wouldn't wear a dress cut like that even if I _were_ trying to catch a man!"

A few more sketches were rejected with equal repugnance before the dressmaker caved and pulled out a simple and modest design that Kyoko could approve of.

"As for colors," the dressmaker began, pulling out a few swatches, "I was thinking-"

"What kind of ridiculous color is that? Do I look like a peacock? No, don't tell me His Grace has worn it. His Grace is allowed to do as he pleases and has good taste for his own person. You would not catch me dead in a garment of that color. Put it away!"

Yes, Maria would have loved to hear every set-down that Kyoko bestowed upon the other woman. But Maria was not privileged to hear Kyoko at her most merchant, and when her keeper exited the room some time later, she was at her most demure and ladylike again. Only the glare coming from the other woman gave away what might have passed between them.

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting Maria. Your Highness, I didn't realize you were out here."

It took every ounce of her control for Kyoko not to look away. The Prince was staring at her, and she was not sure what to think of it. It had been easier to keep him away when she had simply been a servant. But now he could, and likely would, run into her often, and might even try to speak with her. The old fear, that he might discover who she was, made her sick with apprehension.

"I was wondering what Maria was doing out here in the hall by herself," Kuon responded politely. Then he smirked. "Particularly since she was sitting quietly."

"That's just because Kyoko said to," the younger girl explained cheerfully, ignoring the teasing tone.

"I see," was the bland response. But he was still staring at Kyoko.

"Your Highness," Kyoko began, wanting very much to escape, "if it isn't too much trouble, may I take Maria now? We have something to do before lunch, and since the dress fitting took longer than planned, we are a little short on time. If you please."

"I don't mind. Would it be a bother if I joined you?" Kyoko looked over at Maria, who blushed and shook her head.

"I'm afraid that right now would not be the best time, Your Highness," she replied calmly.

"Well then, I shall see if you are less busy after lunch," he announced as he gave Maria a small hug and helped her rise from her bench.

"Yes! Then I can tell you about my new dresses!"

"Very well," he gave her a smile and bowed to Kyoko, then left quickly.

"Kuu, hold still!" Julie admonished, laughing as her husband tried to tug at a sleeve and poked himself on a pin. "I can't see where adjustments need to be made if you keep moving!"

"It's itchy," her husband grumbled.

"It is not," his wife scolded. "You're just being silly. Now stop fidgeting and let me look at you."

"Oh, well if you want to look at me…" Kuu straightened and smiled, earning a giggle from his wife. She eyed his tunic and stepped forward, tugging it just a touch and squeaking as he pulled her into a hug.

"Got you," he whispered into her ear. She shifted and kissed him, smiling as she pulled away.

"Yes, you got me. With a pin. Now, let me go so that we can finish, please."

Kuu obliged her and she finished as quickly as she could. He ducked behind a screen and changed back into his original clothes while his wife made some notes. A servant came in and collected the unfinished outfits and Kuu stepped out just as they left the room.

"You finished?" he asked as he crept up behind his wife. She turned to smile at him, but shook her head.

"I have to finish with this and you have a meeting," she reminded him. "That's why you promised to come in so early." Kuu sighed.

"Alright." He leaned in and stole a second kiss. "I'll see you at supper."

"Mhmm," Julie replied, already distracted by her designs.

"If you don't come down, I'm coming back for you," he told her as he moved towards the door. She looked up and smiled.

"I'll make sure to come," she promised.

Maria and Kyoko returned to their rooms and cleaned Lina Takarada's portrait. Then they had a small luncheon together and Kyoko decided it was time to talk to Maria about what their daily schedule would be.

"How do you feel about your studies, Maria?" The girl looked up in surprise.

"I don't really have any. The teachers are all stuffy. Or they treat me like I'm still a child. Or they get afraid of everything they say in case it makes me unhappy. I hate studies."

"I see."

"Why?"

"Well, I'm not sure if your grandfather explained properly, but he hoped that you might not mind taking lessons from me."

"From you?"

"Yes. You see, I know how to read and write, and a number of other little things. I can't be sure that I know everything, but I would be glad to help you study. It would be nice, since… I'm not really in a position to learn those kinds of things."

"Then I'll study!"

"Are you sure? It won't do any good if you don't like it."

"Well, I have to learn it to be a proper lady. And if you're teaching, it won't be so stuffy. So I think it should be fine."

"Well, I'll try to not be stuffy, but it will be work."

"Alright."

"And it's not the only thing that your grandfather wants you to learn. There are something things I won't be able to teach you, like riding and fencing. You'll have to have other teachers for that. And you'll have to at least try to get along with them." Maria pondered this for a moment.

"Would you be there?"

"If you would like. If you needed me to, I could even practice with you, if you think that it would help."

"That would be fun. Would you like to practice too?"

"I think that would be nice. Oh, and one other thing."

"Hmmm?"

"If we're going to be doing all of these things, I won't have time to clean your rooms as well. I know you don't want anyone near your mother, but someone is going to have to take care of things."

"You can't do it?"

"No. Not all of it. I'm sorry Maria, but I won't be able to do everything. I can make sure that no one touches your mother's portrait. We can take care of that ourselves. But if you could let someone else take care of the rest of the rooms…"

"They won't touch her?"

"I'll make sure of it, Maria."

And that was that.

Kuon stopped by after lunch, just as he had threatened. But Maria was happy to keep him occupied, so Kyoko retrieved her study plan for Maria and worked on that while the other two chatted. Maria described to him in what had to be tedious detail all of the dresses that she had tried on and all of the other dresses that she had ordered. Kuon listened with a smile, made polite compliments in all of the right places, and teased her at regular intervals.

"So you've had a good day so far?" Kuon asked as Maria finished describing her favorite dress to him.

"Yes. I had to get up early, but that didn't end up being so bad."

"Early?"

"Kyoko woke me up early so that we could eat breakfast."

"You didn't just try and skip?" he asked, smiling. Maria shook her head.

"Breakfast is too important. I had to stand for a long time while trying on some of the dresses and I needed to have eaten properly."

"Is that right?" Kuon prompted as he repressed a chuckle.

"Yes! You shouldn't be skipping meals either," Maria told him in a very prim tone. "You work much too hard to be avoiding your food."

"I'll keep that in mind," Kuon promised as he looked over to Kyoko. She met his eyes for a moment, then looked away, embarrassed. "Well, at least it looks like you are getting along well with Miss Kyoko still."

"Yes," Maria responded happily, missing the undertone. "We're going to start my studies again tomorrow. She's going to teach me all the things I need to know to be a proper lady."

"Impressive. And you'll be on your best behavior?" he asked. Maria pouted.

"That isn't a very nice thing to ask a lady," Kyoko interjected before she could think better of it. She froze when the Prince and Maria turned to look at her. "Y-your Highness."

Kuon smiled in the teasing way he often looked at Maria. Kyoko found herself frowning in irritation instinctively. She was _not _a child.

"I'll keep that in mind, Miss Kyoko." Then he turned back to Maria, tactfully changing the subject. Kyoko bit her lip and furiously attacked the paper in front of her. How that man could just sit there and goad her...

The next couple of weeks developed a pattern as Kyoko slowly directed Maria into a more organized way of life. The two of them used the morning for their studies at first, but eventually decided that it would be better to begin the day with fencing. Then came lunch and afternoon studies. The day would round out with a ride before supper. After eating they would retreat to Maria's room to practice any number of practical skills. Kyoko taught her needlework, had her practice her handwriting, and told her stories ranging from the realm's history to fantastic fairytales.

The fairytales were still both of their favorites.

Overall Kyoko was satisfied with her lot. It was more comfortable than the last several years of her life had been. Maria adored her, treated her well, was enthralled with all of the things that she said, and obeyed her almost implicitly. Through teaching the younger girl, Kyoko had access to all of the learning she had never been allowed before, she was able to learn new things, and even was now learning fencing.

The only problem with this was that she could not seem to escape Prince Kuon.

It started with him accompanying them on their rides. He had been given charge of teaching Maria, and had somehow managed to rope Kyoko into it.

"Hello Maria. That's an interesting outfit. How did you convince your grandfather to let you wear breeches?"

"Prince Kuon! Do you like it? He suggested it actually. He doesn't see the point in me learning to ride in a dress since I'll fall off if I'm not riding astride, and he says I'll need it for fencing as well. Kyoko has them too, see. Are you going to teach me to ride my own horse?"

"Of course. That way you don't have to worry about me dropping you any longer." Kuon responded, glancing up to see that Kyoko was indeed dressed in an outfit very similar to Maria's. Maria giggled at his joke and reclaimed his attention.

"And Kyoko too?"

"Oh no!" The older girl immediately protested. The looks she received made her flush in embarrassment and regret. Maria looked betrayed and the Prince, more than a little amused. "I mean, I know I said I would come with you to help you with your teachers, Maria, but you get along with His Highness, don't you? I'll just be in the way. I don't _really_ know how to ride a horse either, and it would be silly to have him teaching both of us. Especially since-"

"But you aren't otherwise engaged right now?" Kuon interrupted, trying to hide his amusement.

"I- No Your Highness. I'm not."

"While it might be marginally easier to teach just Maria, I doubt that I can't handle both of you. And it certainly looks like she would prefer if you came."

"I don't have a horse, Your Highness," Kyoko mumbled as a last resort.

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem. We have more than enough for you to use." She wanted to slap the look he was giving her off his face, but she refrained. How could she ever think well of this man? He was clearly making fun of her. Again.

"Looks like I will be joining you then, Maria," she told the girl as happily as she could. Maria was not convinced that Kyoko was excited about this at all, but figured the older girl would become more enthusiastic when she had a chance to actually ride.

Maria was right, but would never have guessed Kyoko's other thoughts.

A bittersweet wave of nostalgia hit her when Kuon helped her settle onto the horse he had chosen (his mother's, though he refrained from telling her this). She could feel her father sitting tall and strong behind her when she was a child, while she was riding in his arms. She could see the broad horizon stretch out in front of her own horse that she had owned for only a short time before her father had passed away. She had only ridden it once or twice, and so could say that she had never really been taught. But the experience was not completely new, and she was having a hard time focusing on the present.

A tear formed in the corner of her eye.

Kuon had noticed that she had no problem holding her mount in place, and had moved on to help Maria, so Kyoko had time to collect herself. Eventually the Prince led them both out to a practice ring.

Kyoko's very limited experience turned out to be good enough to allow her to wander the ring on her own after a short time. Kuon spent most of the time helping Maria and staying close to make sure she stayed safe. Kyoko was allowed to watch them without too much trouble, and to enjoy herself. But from time to time, she would end up next to the Prince and she found herself being treated much in the same fashion that Maria was. She found herself constantly biting her tongue to keep herself from sticking it out at the Crown Prince.

Her next unpleasant surprise came when Kuon joined the girls for sword practice. Ryutaro was their original instructor, and he had no trouble dealing with Maria either. But once Kuon started using the girl's practice time to warm up, he was frequently pulled into their lessons and was asked to help Kyoko while Ryutaro worked patiently with Maria.

"No, you have to raise the point more," he told her as she tried to hold a starting guard position. "You want to cross your opponent's blade, not scratch his knuckles."

"I'm short," she retorted, almost under her breath. Kuon ignored her, stepped behind her, and grabbed her hand, pulling so that her point raised high enough.

"There," he said, shifting his hand to her forearm to help support her while she got a feel for the position. "Since most of your opponents will be taller than you, you'll need to adjust to holding it higher. Otherwise his extra arm length will put his blade over your guard."

"How terrible," Kyoko sighed, trying to shift her arm out of his grip.

"As I understand it, death by having your head bashed open isn't pleasant," Kuon told her, tightening his grip and adjusting her position again. "Right here, stop moving."

"It doesn't sound pleasant," Kyoko conceded, trying to hold her arm as steady as possible. Kuon let her go.

"Most injuries from swords aren't," he told her, subconsciously shifting his shoulder. Kyoko's face fell guiltily, but she kept her arm still. Kuon noticed and shrugged. "Me getting myself stabbed isn't something you should feel guilty about, Miss Kyoko."

"No, Your Highness," she answered quietly, turning back to her sword. To their right, Ryutaro and Maria watched them as they took a small break. Maria worried what the Prince had said to make Kyoko look so serious. He seemed to trouble her friend more often than Maria liked. Ryutaro was amused watching Kuon act so invested in his student.

Kyoko eventually decided practicing fencing was not as bad as riding. When Kuon stood opposite her and worked with her through a number of drills, giving her orders to move her feet, adjust her hands, to put more strength behind her blows, she felt like he was actually treating her with respect and that he had confidence in her skills. She could even handle him moving her himself when she did not quite understand what he was asking without getting embarrassed. It was just practice and he did not mean anything by it.

What frightened her was the look of satisfaction on his face as she worked, improving all the while. He took pride in watching her advance, the same kind of pride that she took as she taught Maria. And it made her nervous.

She did not need any connections to this man. He was dangerous to her. She could not afford to be close to him in any way.

Lory shifted in his chair, finding a comfortable position as he watched Kuon working with Yukihito in the opposite corner. Queen Juliena was sitting on the other side of the room, making some adjustments to a sketch that she had just flat out refused to show her husband. The king was sulking in the chair next to Lory, looking wistfully between his son and wife. Lory kicked the chair to get Kuu's attention and smiled wickedly.

"She's just hiding things from you. That doesn't mean she doesn't love you anymore."

"It's a present," Kuu grumbled. "For some fancy, fashionable noble that we haven't seen in years. He's coming down to see us this year, and Julie insists on making him something as a welcome back present."

"You poor, abused husband," came the Duke's retort. Kuu shrugged.

"What's put you in such a good humor that you're picking fights?" he responded, recognizing the Dukes mood.

"Maria's working hard on her studies, and she's enjoying them. I love it when I'm right." Kuu rolled his eyes.

"If the universe weren't so kind to you, you would be a much more tolerable human being."

"You hired Miss Kyoko first. It isn't my fault you didn't use her to her fullest capacity."

"Just don't run away with her," Kuu sighed, looking back to his son. "I think Maria isn't the only one that's been benefited from having her around. Kuon's been taking teaching her very seriously. And I think he is counting down the days until she'll be back to cooking his supper."

"He couldn't possibly be counting because I haven't set a date for Maria to leave yet."

"You missed the point," Kuu grumbled, frowning at his friend. Lory just smiled in return.

"If you want your son fraternizing with serving girls-"

"Your Grace!" Kuu interrupted with a snap. Lory sighed.

"I apologize, Majesty. I know what you mean. He needs people that he feels responsible for so that he can get used to taking charge and leading. And she's good at dealing with him without killing his confidence. But I'm uneasy about this," Lory admitted, glancing over at the Crown Prince.

"Uneasy?" Kuu asked, all animosity forgotten.

"I have a hunch," Lory admitted. "It isn't real yet, but I'm hoping the universe is very unkind to me, Kuu. I'd really like to be wrong this time."

Kuu watched his friend uneasily for a moment before looking over at his son.

"I just want him to be happy, Lory," Kuu murmured.

"Me too, Kuu."

After practice one morning, Kyoko and Maria stayed to watch Kuon and Ryutaro go through their own practice. Standing back, both girls were entranced as they watched the two experts. They were not the only ones. It was not unusual for a small crowd to father to watch the Prince and the Fencing Master work through a bout.

"It's amazing," Maria breathed in awe. She looked up when Kyoko didn't respond immediately. Maria could see a light in her caretaker's eyes that had never been there before - a longing admiration.

"I want to do that," Kyoko whispered passionately. "To be that good, that incredible. I want to be good enough to go against them one day…"

_Regal_, Maria realized. _She looks like, like she was born for this. All of it. Like Kuon does..._

As the swords danced back and forth, Kyoko watched intently, trying to figure out how they were moving so quickly. She only had a short time to learn how to fence like that, and she was willing to work hard to get that good. To move with that grace. To be equal to-

She shook her head, confusing Maria. No, she would never be equal to these men. Her place was beneath them. But if she could...

Kuon parried and slid into a repose, and Kyoko's breath caught. Oh, what she would give to be that good.

* * *

_I found my culprits. Kuu and Julie have been stealing my romance. I think Lory is also culpable. He is not very patient when it comes to love. He might be the one actually stealing it and pawning it off to everyone else. Ah well. Will, tighten the lid and we'll take shifts protecting it. I think we finally plugged the leak.  
_

_Thanks again to my readers and reviewers. Will thanks you too, since so many of you have made happy and kind comments for her. She likes knowing she is appreciated. It keeps her happy when I drive her crazy with all my strangeness. Thanks to everyone who has made suggestions and who has mentioned problems. This story is all the more fun for all the people who have contributed to it. And thanks to all the reviewers who had nothing to say but that they were happy that I updated. I love all my reviews, no matter how short._


	13. Educational Experience

_Sorry for the longer wait. Chapter 13, at long last, for your viewing pleasure._

* * *

It was an invasion. Kyoko was sure there was no other word for it. Prince Kuon was trying to invade her life. Not content to tease her on their rides or to bruise her during their sword practice, he was now showing up everywhere in between.

Palace staff said it wasn't unusual for him to dote on Maria in his free time. It was his habit during the fall and winter months. Kyoko wanted to know how much of this "free time" he actually had.

"Hard at work?" came his amused voice from the doorway one afternoon as Maria sat at her desk, dutifully reading a thick and tedious text. She immediately looked up and gave him a welcoming smile.

"Yes. Kyoko says we'll both finish a chapter, then take a break before we move on to etiquette for today." Observing Kyoko's book, Kuon was interested to see it was even larger than Maria's and looked to have smaller print. He caught her gaze and she raised an eyebrow, a silent inquiry as to what amused him.

There really was something familiar about her…

"Do you mind if I sit in here? Yukihito is trying to steal me away to help my father greet some ancient guests that are arriving today and he's still deathly frightened of you. I've got work to finish and I promise to not be a distraction."

"That's fine. But we'll get a little noisy when we finish reading," Maria informed him.

"If it becomes a problem I can always leave."

So he stayed, and Kyoko felt the room shrinking with every passing minute. When Maria finally finished reading and Kyoko moved onto instruction she felt the Prince's eyes on her constantly and wondered if he really was getting any work done.

This was the first of several group study sessions.

Then, there were the evening walks that crept into the mix. Sometimes Maria would not feel like riding and Kuon would suggest heading to the gardens, or even out behind the palace to let Maria get some fresh air.

They frequently ran into people in the garden, with the palace slowly filling up with visitors, and Kyoko always felt awkward, not quite sure what her place was. She would often try and fade into the background while the Prince and Maria chatted with their acquaintance.

But Maria was becoming better with people and enjoyed testing her new social skills with the guests, so Kuon would frequently drop behind to walk next to Kyoko. Usually they would walk in silence, but he would ask her questions from time to time. She did not think he had discovered who she was, but she was still very careful with what she told him, and avoided speaking at all when she could.

"You're doing a good job with her," Kuon commented one day as they watched Maria chat with some friends of her grandfather. "She doesn't seem as… haunted as she did before. She's much more like she was before her mother's death."

"I'm glad," Kyoko replied, not sure what he was getting at. "She's a good girl. She just had to grow up in a hard way a little too quickly, I think. Your Highness." she added belatedly. He smiled.

"I think I've told you that you don't have to use my title every time you speak to me. I know who you're talking to."

"I… I'd forgotten." She hadn't, but she did feel awkward leaving it off. Especially with other people walking nearby.

"Well then, it's good that I reminded you, isn't it?" His voice was polite, and his smile was bright, like a perfect gentleman's smile, but it did not reach his eyes. That gaze told her that he saw through her lies, and she blushed with embarrassment and shame.

"I meant- I'm sorry." He relaxed a little.

"I understand. You aren't exactly in the easiest place. But I hope you'll trust me. I don't have any desire to get you in trouble."

"Sometimes you can't help that kind of thing. Trouble just comes."

"I know. From all the worst places. But I hope that you'll believe me when I tell you, I do know how it feels to be on the wrong end of all the talk. And I think it's better to have people to talk to, even if it makes things a little harder. It… can get really lonely."

Kyoko wondered if he had any idea how he looked just then. It wasn't that she hadn't known he was human and fallible. She had hit him over the head for his mistakes in the past. But right then, he looked so much more vulnerable.

"I… appreciate that. Thank you. But, I… might forget again." And there was that smile again. The one that stalled her common sense and made her wonder, for just one more moment, what if she had-

"_Enough!"_ She commanded herself as she gave him a polite smile back and turned to check on Maria. Tiny smiles didn't change anything. And moments of passing fancy were just that, passing.

She would regret such wayward thoughts if she let them carry her away.

Evenings spent out behind the palace were no less nerve wracking. Often the two of them would play games with Maria, but she would never tire as quickly as they did, and was then left to her own devices while they both collapsed on the grass.

"Energetic little bugger," Kuon grumbled one evening as Maria scampered off to hunt for treasure. Kyoko liked to think that some of Maria's imagination came from her grandfather.

"She has different responsibilities than you do, Highness," Kyoko replied mildly.

"Yes, but not less tiresome than yours. I understand you still head down to the kitchen whenever Lory takes her off your hands for a little while."

"I'm not paid to sit around."

"No. You're paid to watch a spirited monster. Taking a break is hardly a crime."

"As you say, Highness." Kuon grunted in exasperation, but let it go.

From her perch on a sturdy branch of a nearby tree, Maria watched these two of her favorite people with interest. When she had been younger she had thought there was not a woman alive who could argue with Kuon. He would smile and they would melt into a pile of unidentifiable goo. Maria had certainly never tried. But somehow, whenever she wasn't looking, Kyoko would do something to frustrate the Prince. And he, rather than rendering her helpless, would make her angry.

It amazed Maria, and made her a little jealous.

Kyoko looked out over the scenery and frowned at the setting sun. She called for Maria to come down and the group wandered back inside. They were immediately interrupted by His Grace, who wished to spend the evening with his granddaughter. Kyoko relinquished her charge and made a beeline for kitchens, earning a frown from Kuon.

Lory watched the Prince's reaction, but chose not to say anything. Instead he escorted Maria to his library where she told him excitedly about all the things that Kyoko had taught her that day. Her grandfather listened with pleasure.

"Grandpapa, do you think Kyoko should be a princess?" Lory stared down in surprise at Maria who was gazing seriously into the fire.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she just, feels like a princess sometimes. Only, she feels like a good one. She's nice and she's smart and she likes to work hard. She'd make a good princess. Right?"

"I can't say that that sounds wrong. But I wonder if everyone else would like her very much." Maria looked up in shock.

"But… she's amazing!"

"I agree. But she is also part of the palace staff, and I don't think that everyone would appreciate it. They would treat her badly, even if she is the best person for the job. Besides, I thought you were going to be the princess."

"I will. I just thought…" her voice trailed off and she sighed, looking back into the fire. "I wouldn't mind losing to her."

"Losing?" Lory couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice and his granddaughter glowered at him.

"Yes!"

"I don't know if you have to worry about that," Lory mused as he swirled the contents of the glass in his hand and pondered it intently.

"Why?" Maria asked as she cocked her head.

"Unless your Kyoko is already a princess in disguise, I don't think she would ever consider marrying the Prince, even if he did ask her. And I'm fairly sure he wouldn't." Maria considered this.

"Probably…"

She let the conversation drop, but it weighed heavily on Lory for the rest of the evening, even after he had excused his granddaughter.

It was Duke Takarada's humble opinion that he had been born very much in the wrong age. What the future would hold for humanity, he could not be sure, but the world he lived in was not one that allowed him to encourage everyone to follow his greatest ideals.

His Grace was a firm believer in the overwhelming and beautiful power that a true and tender love could bring to two people. He had enjoyed to the fullest the happiness that his own marriage had brought, and had refused to allow his son to marry for a stupid reason like producing an heir. If Kuoki had not been so much in love with Lina, Lory would never have accepted the match. And he did not regret his or his son's marriage. Neither situation had turned out to be ideal, but he still believed they were both better men for the choices that they had made.

Lory loved being around King Kuu and Queen Juliena. They were good people brimming with life, hope, determination, and an unquenchable passion for each other. If Lory wanted anything for their son, it was the vivid and unfaltering relationship that Kuon's parents had. He could not see Kuon becoming half the king his father was unless he had a woman at his side that could match the influence that Juliena had over her husband.

The problem was that the only girl that seemed to be capable of moving the Crown Prince at all was a kitchen servant of unknown origins with no distinct future. Lory cursed the world that he lived in that prevented two people from different classes from easily and happily being together.

But Lory was also not a fool. His son might run his estates, but he was economically and politically savvy enough to know that if Kuon were to truly fall in love with Miss Kyoko and try and marry her, the kingdom and their relationship would suffer for it. The common people might rejoice, but the nobility would spend every ounce of their power to overset their king and his "unworthy" queen.

Yes, Lory wanted happiness and love for everyone, but he would not wish the trials that Kuon and Miss Kyoko would have to face on anyone. Even without a clear understanding of Miss Kyoko's past, Lory was certain the two had already suffered enough.

It was late, but Lory was not happy with the direction his thoughts had drifted, and took off to the royal family's study to see if anyone was still there. He was surprised to find all the family and Yukihito in attendance.

"That's what I am trying to tell you," Kuon spoke, directing his irritation towards Yukihito. "I'm not going to take off and shirk my duties just because they are boring."

"Which is why every time I ask you to greet guests, you're missing."

"I am not missing. There are people that know exactly where I am."

"These people wouldn't happen to be my granddaughter and Miss Kyoko?" Lory asked, closing the door and taking a seat across from his king and queen.

Kuon glared at the intrusion, but did not respond. Yukihito smirked.

"He isn't avoiding his work," Juliena pointed out kindly. "I received three letters this week from ladies who were so happy that their sons had gotten letters from Kuon, inviting them especially to come up this season."

"And he doesn't have to greet all of my and your contemporaries," Kuu pointed out to the Duke. "He sees them plenty during the meetings that he attends, and handles them just fine at dinner. We can greet our old friends on our own, I think."

Lory shrugged acceptance, but made no other comment.

"Speaking of visitors," Yukihito started. "I don't think this year has been much more exciting than last year. We don't have too many more people here."

"They're waiting," Juliena responded with a sigh. "Everyone that I've written to says that they are waiting for the formal invitation to the winter festival. Some people have come down from the north and are visiting family, or waiting in the city. But the majority are still staying home until the major social event."

"So I'd better set aside extra time to work on the guest list?" Yukihito asked with a frown.

"Lots of extra time," the king recommended. "We'll be getting plenty of young ladies wishing to get a second chance to show off to my son, before he might forget them."

"I doubt there are very many he wants to remember," Lory teased, easing back into the chair. "How much are you looking forward to meeting the young lady who rejected you?" Kuon grimaced.

"I'm really hoping she doesn't come," he admitted.

"Worried she'll make a scene?" Yukihito added his jibes to the mix. Kuon shook his head and actually blushed slightly.

"I don't think I'll recognize her, even if I do see her again."

There was a stunned silence in the room. Lory was the first to break it.

"You must be joking!" he growled, rubbing his forehead. Juliena looked worriedly at her husband who was watching his son silently.

"I think I'm a decent enough human being to wish that were true," Kuon retorted. "But the honest truth is I don't think I even once really looked at her. And she didn't have any distinct features to remember her by, I think. I do remember about how tall she was, mostly from dancing with her, and I remember that she had dark hair. But everything else…"

"And you probably worked really hard at trying to forget the entire thing had ever happened," Yukihito added quietly. Kuon did not respond, and the room sunk into silence again.

"Well," Kuu stated, breaking the quiet, "let's all hope that she doesn't show. I think it would be nice to avoid a public reenactment of exactly what happened. And I'm not attached to the idea of my son getting hit over the head again."

"Not that he doesn't deserve it," Lory countered in frustration. Kuu turned to argue with his friend, but Kuon forestalled him.

"If it would make you feel better, you have my permission to hit me over the head with as many shoes as you'd like," he told the Duke. "But I don't think that will help my memory, and you get to explain why you were doing it to Maria."

"Coward," Lory tossed back. "Hiding behind a little girl." Kuon shrugged.

Seeing that her husband was still ready to do battle and that the two arguing men were not about to call a truce, Juliena carefully turned the conversation to what the Duke thought about the few formal events that were going to be hosted over the next several weeks. This sufficiently distracted the entire group, and while no one made it to bed until the early hours of the morning, everyone left in a moderately good humor.

Not long after the turbulent evening, one day while the girls were hard at their studies, the Duke burst into his granddaughter's room to announce that for the next week, she would be required to begin learning how to dance.

"Dance? But Grandpapa, I won't be able to attend dances for years."

"That's why you'll begin now. You will only be working for this week, but it will be good for you to start thinking about it before you need to know it."

"Why just for the week?"

"Their Majesties are having a few of their aides and close friends that are out of practice be reintroduced to the art of party gallantry. You'll be joining the group, and hopefully making all of them feel guilty enough to actually try and practice."

"Is Kyoko coming too?" Maria asked worriedly. For all that she could interact with people, she still liked to have her friend close at hand.

"They will need Miss Kyoko too, to help even out the couples," Lory informed his granddaughter, catching Kyoko's eye to make sure she had heard him. Kyoko nodded, but was not entirely pleased with this turn of events.

"Alright!" Maria sang out, accepting her grandfather's order.

So Kyoko was roped into dance practice, which was concerning because she had already learned to dance a long time ago. She would have to be careful to not give herself away.

When the the girls arrived they were part of a small group, just five others. Maria was given to the special care of the instructor while Kyoko was paired with the only remaining man, Yukihito Yashiro.

"Hello. I don't think I've had the privilege of meeting you yet, but I've heard a great deal about you. You're Miss Kyoko, am I right?"

"And you're Master Yukihito, I believe. It's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you as well. Shall we?" he asked, extending his hand to her and turning to face the teacher.

After a quick review of how to hold their partners, the instructor had the group practice a basic step. Since all of them were supposed to know it already, he kept his attention focused mostly on Maria. He had watched Kyoko for a moment to see if Yukihito was helping her, but they seemed to be doing fine.

He did not notice, however, that this was not thanks to Yukihito.

"You're leading," Kyoko said quietly after several minutes of her partner watching his feet to make sure he did not tread on her.

"I know," he retorted, concentrating on his movements. "Thank you for pointing that out."

"I'm sorry. I should have said that you are _supposed_ to be leading." He glared at her, missing a step and squashing her toes. She kept moving gracefully, ignoring his mistake. "You should be guiding me, pulling. Not waiting for me to move and getting out of my way."

"Well, my apologies. It's been a while since I last did this."

"Do you not like dancing?"

"I don't have any particular feelings against it," he told her, looking down again. "I just don't, so I've forgotten most of it." He tread on her toes again. "Sorry."

"That's strange," Kyoko responded, continuing to ignore the blunder. "I thought that you went to most of the balls. Why don't you ask anyone to dance?"

"Well, I'm sort of in charge of things, so I try and be available for any given crisis."

"Isn't there supposed to be a master of ceremonies for those kinds of events?"

"Yes, but Duke Takarada will hunt them down and make suggestions and ruin things. Well, make them explode in decorations and extravagance, more like. So I got put in charge of everything because I can tell him no, at least most of the time."

"You're reliable," she smiled at him. Yukihito could not help but return the gesture, and he began to understand why everyone he had spoken to talked so well of her.

"Thank you. But I'm very busy, so I don't dance. I'd like to at least some of the time, but I always worry that something will go wrong when I'm not looking."

"That's strange. His Highness said you were very reliable."

"Prince Kuon said that?"

"Oh, yes. He says it all the time. Well, at least most of the times that we talk," Kyoko amended.

"Really?"

"Yes. He thinks that you are incredibly resourceful, and that you are very patient. And talented."

"Now I know you're making that up," Yukihito told her, looking down as he suddenly realized that he had not been paying attention to his feet.

"Oh, he doesn't use all of those every time. But whenever I ask him about why he isn't working, he always says it's because you do so much to help, that he has barely anything left himself."

"That sounds more like him," Yukihito admitted, smiling ruefully.

"Is he lying? Should Maria and I be sending him back to help?" Kyoko asked, a worried look on her face. Yukihito shook his head.

"He's mostly right. He doesn't really have too much to do anyway. Actually, it's taken all of my efforts to keep him as busy as he has been. With him doing his own work, things run much more smoothly."

"You must have been very busy before, keeping track of everything he was supposed to do."

"Well…" Yukihito stalled, slightly embarrassed by the attention he was receiving from almost a complete stranger. He had never felt comfortable complaining to the king and queen that their son was making his life difficult. But it seemed so natural to share his troubles with this girl. It was incredible how dependable she seemed. "Someone had to do it."

"You really are reliable," she told him, a small smile creeping onto her face. "To be able to take care of the Crown Prince so well. And run so many other things…"

"Well, no amount of reliability can stop accidents from happening," Yukihito pointed out, trying to drag the conversation back to its start. "Even if Prince Kuon thinks I can be depended on, unexpected things still happen during events."

"Well, yes. But I got the impression that His Highness meant you were prepared for an unexpected crisis in advance. That you had plans set up in case of emergencies and that you only had people who could follow your orders well working the events, so that you could trust things to run smoothly."

"Well, yes."

"So, you can ask someone to dance. Because you've already taken care of everything."

"I suppose I have." He smiled at his companion and realized with shock that he had been leading her through most of the conversation.

"Look, you're doing just fine. You just needed to stop thinking so much."

"_If Kuon's seen this smile, I'm surprised he hasn't eaten her yet. Good grief, she's a good girl."_

The practice was brought to a halt and the couple stopped with everyone else, both of them releasing the other immediately.

"Excellent!" the instructor called out to them. "You have gotten it. But it is no good, no good leaving her like this."

"Sir?" Yukihito asked.

"Your dancing, Master Yukihito, is good, if you will keep doing it. But your lady, she is magnificent. I need for her a different partner. She must dance with the Prince, and then I shall be satisfied!"

"Oh, I couldn't," Kyoko objected.

"No, it must be the Prince. We will have him here, and he will dance with the girl."

"Really, there's no reason to do that," Kyoko insisted. "I'm only here to be with Maria-"

"All the more reason to have the Prince here!" the instructor exclaimed. "A rare opportunity."

"He must be busy in any event," Kyoko tried again. The instructor considered this.

"Bah, we will see. We have the week."

Luck was with Kyoko, and Kuon never did have the time to stop by. But Yukihito could not help but continue to be impressed by this Kyoko, who danced like she had done so for years.

They continued to be partners for the rest of the week. By the last day, Yukihito had mastered leading Kyoko without stepping on her toes for the first five minutes. Maria had enjoyed learning some basic dance steps and Kyoko was grateful to have moved away from the experience. She had not been able to ever pretend that she could not dance, and she worried that someone was bound to notice.

Yukihito had confided his observation to someone else, but Lory kept this mostly to himself, adding it to his list of information. Because Maria was being taken care of by Kyoko, the Duke had sent Sebastian out again several times to see what he could learn about Kyoko's past. But each time, nothing had taken him any further north than his first trip.

"It doesn't make sense," Lory stated, looking at a small list of notes he had taken on his target. "Reading, writing, history, deportment, political finesse, dancing- it all screams noble birth, or at least very wealthy merchant. But you've found nothing?"

His aide replied with his usual stoic manner.

"The noble houses have not reported anything to Their Majesties, and without a place to start, investigating possible scandals on all the outer lords and wealthy landowners would be politically dangerous and inefficient. If she has revealed anything to Miss Maria, you would know it and not I."

"This is ridiculous," Lory growled, tossing his paper onto the desk. "She's confused us both into a blind alley, and from what we can see, she didn't even try. I'm starting to think this girl is a plague sent to ruin us all."

Sebastian did not ask what his master meant. But he was aware of Lory's concern for the royal family. He had already been asked to make plans to ensure that Kyoko would leave the palace with them when spring came. He did not doubt it would be best for everyone involved. His Grace's hunches were rarely wrong, and he was a master at tactfully handling difficult situations.

"Your Grace."

"Yes?"

"I can attend her and Miss Maria. Observation in her new setting might lead to new clues." Lory shook his head.

"Thank you, no. I think she is already nervous of people asking about her. She is _very_ careful about not mentioning her past. And Kuon and Maria are plenty good at dropping information right into my lap."

"Yes, Your Grace." He was dismissed then, and left silently.

"Who are you?" Lory asked, tapping the paper in front of him thoughtfully. "Where did you learn all of this, Miss Kyoko?"

The subject in question was currently facing her own troubles. Kyoko and Maria had arrived in the stable for their "lessons" with Kuon, and the look on his face was enough to warn Kyoko that something was afoot.

"Prince! Are we doing something special today?" Maria asked, noticing his smile.

"You won't be doing anything special. But His Grace has decided that your friend has graduated from having fun into being responsible. Miss Kyoko will be learning how to ride with a side saddle from today forward."

Kyoko repressed a groan and gave Kuon her most polite smile. She had wondered if Maria would eventually be switched to the more proper riding style once Kuon felt she was ready, but Kyoko had not anticipated journeying into this new world alone.

"If His Grace is certain," she replied as calmly as she could, looking skeptically at the already saddled horse standing behind Kuon.

"Most certain," he reassured her, his eyes still laughing. "If you'll step this way, I'll help you mount."

"I thought we had established that I could mount myself," she pointed out, keeping her tone as even as possible.

"A regular saddle, yes. I'll be helping you adjust to this one."

Kyoko eyed the seat with distaste, causing Kuon's smile to grow. But she sighed at stepped forward gracefully, her head held high, her face daring the Prince to laugh at her. He did not, but met her at the horse and explained the basic differences of how she would be sitting.

"It doesn't seem that much more difficult to mount," Kyoko told him, hoping to avoid his help.

"It shouldn't be, once you get the hang of it," he replied. "But I will be helping you up today." His voice dropped so that Maria, who was watching from a safe distance, would not be able to hear. "I have it on good authority that your feet are not in top condition, and it would be better if I did help you up today."

She consented, but was confused, and decided to ask him about it. Later, when they were riding, he left Maria and rode over to check on Kyoko, so she confronted him.

"Why on earth would my feet be in less than perfect condition?" she demanded.

"Because they have endured a rather abusive week," he told her, checking her seat to make sure she was not falling out. "And don't tell me otherwise. Yukihito told me all about your exciting introduction to his hideous excuse for dancing."

"He is not a bad dancer," Kyoko countered. "He was just out of practice. He does just fine now."

"And you would be an authority on good dancing?" Kuon asked with a raised brow. Kyoko's mouth snapped shut, and she looked away. "In any event, I can convey his deepest apologies to you."

"He did nothing to offend me," Kyoko replied stiffly, earning a smirk from Kuon.

"I'm glad. He's a good person. And he's quite enamored with you. I don't think he's ever been as impressed with a female."

"You exaggerate," Kyoko responded coolly. Kuon shook his head.

"No, no. He was very impressed. I swear, I think he's fallen head over heels in love you." The look of absolute horror that immediately appeared on her face made Kuon check himself. "I'm sorry. I was joking."

Kyoko let out a breath she did not know she had been holding.

"It wasn't a very kind thing to joke about, Highness," Kyoko told him as calmly as she could.

"Maybe not. He is impressed with you. He can see why you are the kind of person that Maria looks up to. But I think he knows he isn't man enough to handle you."

This earned him a glare, but Kuon did not mind. She seemed to have been plenty distracted from his blunder.

"I have no intention of being _handled_ by anyone," Kyoko told him with a cold look, her head held high again.

"No, I would imagine not," he conceded, moving away to check on Maria again. Kyoko watched him go, feeling frustrated. She had the distinct feeling that he was still having fun at her expense. Arrogant Prince.

Kyoko was sitting with Maria a few days later when a servant entered and handed the younger girl a billet. The girl glanced at the seal, frowned, read through the missive quickly, and threw it down on the table next to her.

Kyoko moved over to look at it and was surprised to see that it was from Maria's father.

"Is something wrong?" Kyoko asked, glancing at her charge worriedly.

"No. Just the same as always," Maria responded blankly.

"May I?"

"Why not? It doesn't say anything special."

This was true, but Kyoko could not help but feel uncomfortable about the situation as she looked at the message. The questions Maria's father asked were polite, but they also showed a lack of communication between the two. It did not seem like he could write many other things, even if he wished to.

Kyoko looked over at the younger girl who was still pouting, and she made a decision that would probably make things difficult for her in the near future. Kyoko folded the letter carefully and put it away. She had a plan.

Prince Kuon walked into the room the next day to see Maria sitting at her desk and scribbling furiously at a piece of excessively abused paper. She jabbed at it suddenly and whipped it off the table, thrusting it under Kyoko's nose. The older girl put down the book she had been reading, took the paper, glanced at it, wadded it up, and threw it into a pile of rubbish in the corner of the room.

By the size of the pile, Kuon guessed this had been going on for a while.

He tried to back out of the room quietly, rightly guessing that it would be best if he did not get involved. Unfortunately, Maria spotted him.

"Prince! Is it time for us to head out?"

"Actually," he stalled, looking towards Kyoko, whose face told him clearly she was not happy with his interruption, "it's a little early. I came by to apologize because my work is taking me longer than I thought today. I don't think I'll be able to make it out riding with you."

The new look on Kyoko's face told him that this was clearly the right answer. Maria's face said otherwise, but Kuon knew which battle he could win fighting these two women. And it would be easier to make it up to Maria later.

"But-"

"Maria." Kyoko's voice was a reprimand and a warning. The girl glowered, but looked back to Kuon and bowed her head.

"Thank you for letting us know," she grumbled bitterly before starting to jab at a new piece of paper. Kyoko nodded a polite farewell to the Prince and picked her book up again, ignoring the miniature tantrum that was going on next to her.

Kuon left quietly, wondering what on earth could be going on.

Several hours earlier, Maria had been happily preparing for her lessons that day when Kyoko entered into the room and solemnly placed the letter the girl had received the day before in front of her.

"What-"

"We're going to work on something special today. It is imperative that a woman knows how to keep up a good correspondence, so today, we are writing letters."

"We did that last week. I know that already."

"You know how to write a formal letter to a dignitary. You have no idea how to keep up a relationship of a more intimate nature through a written medium."

"I don't have any friends," Maria declared.

"A princess, a queen, and even the wife of a minor noble is expected to keep people as her friends, even if she does not want them. You never know when you will need to use any of your connections, and you need to be able to have connections to use. People can't be near you all the time, and you have to know how to communicate over long distances for a long period of time. This is what you are going to practice."

"Fine. I'll write to Grandpapa."

"No. His Grace is residing here currently. You can communicate to him face to face. You need to write to someone who you don't see."

"I'm not writing to Papa."

"Fine." Maria was surprised by Kyoko's easy assent. "Tell me of one other person that you know that does not live here that you can send letter to. I'll let you do it."

Maria sulked as she tried to think of a single person that she could use, but no one came to mind.

"What do I have to do?" she mumbled, glaring at the desktop.

"Since your father has written to you, your best option is to simply answer his letter. He asked you a number of questions, and even if you can't answer all of them you can write a good response."

"So I just answer the questions?"

"In your best hand, and with your best effort. The letter should look like you put time and thought into it. You will do as many drafts as it takes, and we will stay here until you're finished."

"What about riding with the Prince?"

"We'll have to explain to him if you aren't finished by then."

"Supper?"

"If it looks like it will take that long, we'll have something sent up."

"Kyoko, I don't want to-"

"I know," Kyoko's voice was soft. "I know you don't want to Maria. And I will, if you can think of a single other person, not make you do this. But this is important as a lesson."

Maria sniffed, but began.

Later, after Kuon had made his escape from their presence and just before supper, Maria paused before beginning to thrash her next piece of paper. She looked at it, then set her pen to it carefully and wrote steadily for about ten minutes. When she finished she held the paper out gently to Kyoko. The older girl took it, looked over it, and nodded.

"Seal it and we'll have it sent out."

"Alright." Kyoko stepped behind the girl and gave her a long hug.

"Thank you for cooperating," she whispered. Maria shook her head.

"It can't hurt to just send a letter," she responded as flippantly as she could.

"Yes it can. We both know that. That isn't why I asked you to do it."

"Then why?" Maria's voice was shaking now.

"Because you love your father, Maria. You love him so much you light candles and hope that they'll bring you good fortune and make him love you too. But you already know that it isn't that easy. You're working very hard so that you can build a good relationship with the Prince. Parents are the same way. You have to work, sometimes just a little, but you always have to work. Even if they never acknowledge you, you just have to keep trying."

"_Will_ it work?"

"I don't know Maria, but I hope so. I really hope so."

* * *

_Hope that you all have enjoyed. This chapter kind of ran away with me as I was editing it. It took longer to prep than I had anticipated... Thanks to all of my reviewers for all that they have said. Everything has been helpful and kind and I'm grateful for all the people who have taken the time to tell me how much they care about what I right. It is nice to know that I am still writing things that people enjoy._

_For people that have expressed concerns about missing characters (Kanae), people that are out of character (Lory), things that don't quite make sense (no one recognizes Kyoko), and people they still feel need to show up (Sho and Reino), I hope that you will continue to read the story and wait for things to appear in their own good time. I have a very clear idea of where this story is going and I promise, I am paying attention to what is going on and I have thought about these things. Please keep making comments because there have been a few things that I have changed because of people's concerns, but even if I do not reply to your concern in a PM, or if I don't address your issue in the next chapter I post from when you comment, I am thinking about what you have said._

_For anyone who still cares, I have transferred the romance to a new jar and have placed it in a safe location (to protect it from those of you who have been aiding and abetting Lory - you know who you are). Will does not even know where it is, so I cannot be betrayed. Not that I think Will would betray me...  
_


	14. Royal Nature

_Sorry for another long wait. I hope that you enjoy..._

* * *

The following evening, Maria decided that she was not up to riding, so the group wandered out behind the palace for their outing. Kyoko could sense that Maria had been nervous all day, and put all of her best efforts into distracting and cheering her charge.

"Maria, would you like to go fairy hunting?" Kyoko asked as the trio paused just outside the palace wall. Kuon smiled as Maria immediately perked up.

"Fairy hunting? How?"

"We'll have to be very careful," Kyoko told her, crouching down to Maria's level and holding a finger up to her lips. "And we have to be very quiet."

Maria nodded silently, a look of intense concentration on her face.

It was decided that the Prince would have to follow at a distance since he was much too tall to hide himself properly. And he would be a good distraction so that the girls could sneak up on their quarries. He was very eye catching, as Maria pointed out.

Kuon accepted his assignment, using it to his advantage and watching both young ladies with no small amount of amusement. He had not seen Maria since the evening before, and she had seemed very dispirited when he had first met up with her and Kyoko. Now she was smiling again, repressing giggles as she followed Kyoko, sneaking around trees and poking at small bunches of wildflowers.

They moved further afield and Kyoko pointed down to the river, whispering into Maria's ear.

"Over there. We should be able to see them dancing on the water."

Maria nodded and the girls moved along, creeping up to the water's edge and staring out over the rolling surface. Maria kept her eyes trained across the surface, trying to spot something. Kyoko watched the younger girl rather than the water, noticing how far Maria was leaning out. Keeping an eye on those small feet, Kyoko was able to notice a small pool of still water, trapped between a few rocks.

"Maria, look, there," she said, pointing down. Maria stepped back carefully, noticing the miniature pond.

"What is it?" she asked, peering into the water.

"Shh, look."

Kyoko had always been fascinated with magic and fairytales, but it had not been until she had been in one for the ball that she had really considered how much magic could be encountered in this world. The glances of darts of light and color that she had seen in the palace gardens had eventually developed into sightings of small winged beings, dancing about. With time and patience, two things she had plenty of, Kyoko had begun to easily spot fairies around the palace. There were not as many of them out here in the field, but the river fairies were some of her favorites, riding the flowing torrents of water while playing tricks on each other. When they grew tired, they would rest in pools like these, chatting with various other fairies that would visit at the river's edge.

"I don't see anything," Maria whispered, sighing.

"Look for the ripples," Kyoko told her. "See, there and there." She pointed to two places where a couple of fairies were standing, fanning their wings. Kuon, still standing back a bit, watched Kyoko as she gestured to the pool.

"Those are just reeds under the water," Maria told her friend, looking up sadly. "They aren't fairies."

"No, look closer. The fairies are resting on the reeds. You can only see them if you really try hard."

Maria stared intently for a few more moments before shaking her head. "Nothing's there."

"Is something wrong?" Kuon asked, moving closer as quietly as he could and keeping his voice low.

"Nothing's wrong," Kyoko answered, in an equally soft voice. "They're just resting."

"Really?" he asked, looking into the pool skeptically. He was diverted when he realized that Kyoko was pouting.

"Really," she told him. "They're sitting right here. Look, there's one just in front of you, behind that grass."

Kuon crouched down and pushed the plants aside carefully, disturbing the fairy that Kyoko had been talking about. However, instead of the pretty little lady that Kyoko saw, Kuon and Maria could only see a dragonfly dart off out over the river.

"A fairy?" Kuon asked, a smile on his face. Maria was watching the bug in disappointment.

"A fairy," Kyoko replied. "You just saw it."

"The dragonfly?"

Kyoko looked back, found the fairy and sighed when its form shifted briefly to show her what her companions saw. She watched it fly back and land delicately on the Prince's shoulder.

"The fairy," she sighed, knowing he could not see it. He laughed, looking over at the bug.

"Right. This is a fairy."

"It is," she retorted, flushing prettily in her anger. Kuon could not help smiling wider, which only infuriated her more. "It's a pretty little fairy, and if you could really see her, you would die of shock!"

"Well, I do think it's pretty," Kuon conceded. He did not have a problem with bugs, and even if most people did not consider dragonflies to be the most charming insects, he thought they had a certain elegance to them.

Kyoko, watching the fairy examine the Prince closely, became even more irritated at the creature's reaction to Kuon's comment. She preened, and hovered up to bow to him. But Kyoko's frown turned into a laugh as the fairy then darted forward to place a quick kiss on the Prince's cheek, confusing him because he could only feel a bug smacking into him before landing back on his shoulder. Kuon and Maria both looked over to Kyoko in confusion and she giggled.

"What?" Kuon asked.

"Oh, you just should have seen it. She is a fairy, you know, and she likes you very much. She was thanking you for your compliment."

"Really?"

"Really. She's still watching you. I think she's fascinated…" Kyoko watched as the fairy continued to admire the Prince, sighing in her tiny, musical voice. Kyoko could not help but giggle again as she recognize the wistful look on the small being. It was very similar to looks that most of the girls in the palace wore when they saw the Crown Prince.

"Am I that fascinating?" Kuon asked as Kyoko continued to stare at the bug.

"Of course," Kyoko responded absently, as she continued to watch the fairy. It was now bowing to the Prince again, bent in half and poised delicately on its toes. Kyoko could understand the fairy's reverence. Kuon was an anomaly in humanity and had a sort of ethereal quality to his attractiveness. It was probably addicting to such a curious creature. "I think she's enamored with you. She's bowing now. Maybe she thinks you're the Prince of the Fairies."

Kuon could only see that the dragonfly was crouched, but at that moment Maria gasped.

"Oh yes, look Prince! I saw her! I saw her!" Kyoko switched her attention to Maria and smiled.

"You can see her?"

"No, just for a second. But I saw her! And she really is bowing!"

Kuon could still not see the anything but an insect, but he was glad that Maria seemed to have cheered up. Kyoko was congratulating the younger girl and asking her if she could see any of the others in the pool. Maria looked down again in stern concentration and after a few moments of effort pointed excitedly.

"Right there!"

Kuon could not see anything on the water, but he did notice a set of ripples blossoming from the point and moving towards the river.

"Looks like he's going back to play," Kyoko commented as the ripples stopped at a rock and slowly faded. "Ah, but he bowed to his Prince first!"

She and Maria both giggled and looked back to Kuon, who shrugged, dislodging his passenger. She tumbled a bit, but caught herself and swooped around the trio twice before landing gracefully on Kyoko's shoulder.

"Seems like she likes you too," Kuon commented, watching the bug's wings flutter.

"Yes, look, she's bowing to you too," Maria added in excitement. Kuon noticed the bug crouching again.

"Looks like you're right," he told Maria, reaching out a hand and casually flicking her nose. He turned back to Kyoko, who was politely nodding to her new friend. "I guess that makes you the Fairy Princess."

Kyoko giggled for a moment before all of the cheer drained out of her face leaving her a ghostly white. She tripped over her tongue repeatedly as she tried to apologize for her insolence, her arrogance, and her presumption, all in one breath. Maria watched in horrified wonder while Kuon immediately turned sullen.

As she stopped to inhale deeply, his hand reached out and covered her mouth before she could start again. Making sure he had her full attention he spoke in his most serious tone.

"That is enough," he commanded, making sure she nodded before releasing his hand. Her face was colored with embarrassment and Maria was still concerned.

"Kyoko?" she asked, looking between her friend and Kuon.

"I'm alright, Maria," Kyoko responded as calmly as she could. "It's just a habit…"

The prince and young girl exchanged a look of shared distaste. Neither of them had seen Kyoko behave in such a way before, and it worried them both that she had ever been in a situation where she felt like she needed to act like that.

"Well, please try not to do it again," Kuon told her, trying to sound as relaxed as he could. "I want people to laugh when I'm being witty."

She tried to match his reassuring smile with one of her own, but it was weak. The little fairy, still sitting on her shoulder, reached up to stroke her face softly, concern written all over its tiny features. Kyoko reached up to touch its head reassuringly, murmuring nonsense as she did so. Watching her closely, Kuon was surprised, not only by her action, but by the image of a small humanoid figure on her shoulder that he glimpsed for a moment.

But then it was only a dragonfly again and it flew off, skimming over the water's surface. He watched it for a bit, but his attention was reclaimed as Maria let out a small yelp. She had tried to move back to the riverbank away from the pool and had slipped, getting one of her feet wet. She was teetering a bit and both Kuon and Kyoko moved to steady her. Kuon reached her first and picked her up, setting her down carefully on the bank.

"Are you alright?" Kyoko asked, moving to wring out a wet patch on the hem of Maria's dress. The younger girl nodded.

"I just slipped a bit. I think my shoe is soaked."

This was confirmed and Kyoko suggested that Maria remove the shoes to let them dry while she kept playing. Maria nodded at this and left her shoes and stockings with Kyoko while she ran off to go hunt down some more fairies on her own. Kyoko moved away from the river before collapsing on the ground, setting the wet articles next to her.

"Can I ask what you were doing yesterday, or is it a forbidden topic?" Kuon asked as he sat down next to Kyoko. He knew she was still uncomfortable, but figured this was a fairly safe topic. And he was still curious about it.

"It isn't really a secret. But I would appreciate it if you didn't bring it up to Maria, since she's still worried about it."

"I noticed she was upset earlier. Was it that bad?" Kyoko looked extremely guilty and barely managed a whisper.

"I made her write a letter. To her father…"

Even if the idea had been repugnant to Kuon, he would not have been able to be angry with her while she looked like that. And he was not upset by the idea.

"I'm impressed. I can't think of an easier way to make her hate you, and it looks like you pulled through well."

"She didn't get much worse than when you saw her," Kyoko explained, brushing the complement aside. "It wasn't too terrible." Kuon snorted.

"Clearly, no one has told you exactly how devious that child can get when she wants to. I'm surprised you risked the consequences."

"Actually, she's told me about her… exploits." Kuon blinked.

"Now I'm _really_ impressed. I think everyone who knows her has wanted to get her to talk with her father since her mother's death. But no one wanted to incite that kind of wrath from her. I'm glad you took that chance."

"Well, no one would really miss me if anything happened," she responded flippantly.

"That's stupid." Kyoko was surprised by the intensity of his tone. "Plenty of people would miss you, and not just in the kitchen either. Maria would feel horrible about it and Lory would at least miss you taking care of her."

"Well, I wouldn't want to disappoint His Grace, or anyone else that I work with by dying inconveniently," she tossed back mildly. Both of them felt awkward then, and there were a few moments of silence.

"I am glad though," he eventually remarked. "It's sad to see them pushing each other back, and from what Lory says, both of them are just stuck with what they should do. It's good that you helped things at least start moving. It… isn't good to be angry at your father. Especially if he can't help the circumstances."

He had that vulnerable look again. The one that made her feel like Maria was not the only one that had grown up too quickly.

"Is it hard, living in that kind of shadow?" Kuon considered the question.

"I think so. It isn't just that he is good at what he does. He's strange too, but he manages to get everyone to accept it. The things that he wants to do, no one objects to."

"And you thought it didn't matter what you did?"

"More or less. And then people did care, and I didn't know what to do anymore. I guess I just tried to carry it off as not a big deal, but…"

"It was a big deal. You were going to be king."

"Yes. But when I first noticed, I only thought of it as a double standard. That it was only because I wasn't king yet that I couldn't get away with it. So I tried all kinds of other things, as distractions, to see the reactions…"

"They didn't go as planned?"

"Not at all. After the ball-" He paused. "No, _after_ after the ball earlier this year, I realized it had all been pointless. It wasn't that people held a double standard, I just didn't make the cut. I'm not really sure I can at this point."

"Why not?"

"Well, I guess I just don't know what people expect anymore. I can't even decide if all the things I've done were that bad. It was a good thing that I didn't end up getting a bride because of the ball. I don't think that would have gone over well. And it would have been a mistake. But I can't say that I made the wrong choice having it, though I think everyone else thinks so. Yes, there were all kinds of people there, and it was stuffy and awkward most of the time. But it was the first time I felt like I had some idea of what the entire kingdom actually meant."

"Did you talk to everyone?"

"Not everyone. I tried to dance with as many people as I could and talk with others, but it was a lot of people. But I did talk to all _kinds_ of people, and it was strangely enlightening to see how people acted around each other. And frustrating."

"Very frustrating," Kyoko sighed.

Kuon started to ask what she meant, but they were interrupted by Maria, who had finished playing and was getting cold. They walked back up to the palace, Kyoko still in a thoughtful mood.

Lory looked up when he heard a soft knock on his door and told the person to enter. Sebastian stepped in, moving silently, closing the door behind him.

"Your Grace," he bowed.

"Ah, you're back already. I'm guessing that means the trip was a complete waste of time."

"Only if Your Grace thinks that discovering where she isn't from is a waste. I checked my sources in the south, but they've never heard of a young lady like Miss Kyoko. Not even from a number of years ago. If she is originally from the south, she has not lived there for quite some time."

"And you have no new information about her?"

"Nothing helpful."

"This is impossible." Lory stroked his chin thoughtfully, grimacing as he reached an unsatisfactory conclusion. "I'm might send you north again. I hate to do it, but I can at least have you check on all the illegitimate children of nobles that we do know about. That will narrow down the list at least a little… maybe."

"Your Grace?"

"Not right away. I need you here now. My information for goings on in the palace has been cut with you being gone so much. And I need for you to check on what people are saying about the Prince."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Let me know how if they've said anything about my granddaughter, too. A few of my acquaintance have made some comments, but I'm curious what people think."

"And what they say about Miss Kyoko as well?"

"Naturally."

"Yes, Your Grace."

The next afternoon found Kuon having invaded Maria's room yet again to watch while Kyoko helped the girl through her various studies. They were suddenly interrupted by Maria's grandfather, who stormed in all of his glamor, striking a dignified pose as he entered.

"I need Maria, now," he announced abruptly. After a quick recovery, Kyoko responded.

"Of course, Your Grace. Maria, we'll finish this tomorrow. Make sure that you don't forget the reading that went with it, alright."

"Yes. What is it Grandpapa?" she asked as he whisked her hurriedly out the door.

"We're accompanying Her Majesty on an outing-"

The door slammed shut, almost as quickly as it had opened. There was an awkward silence for a few moments before Kyoko sighed and moved to put everything away. Kuon watched her as she cleaned up and called after her as she moved towards the door.

"Where are you off to?"

"The kitchen. Since I don't have anything else to do, I thought I might help them for a while."

"You really don't have to, you know."

"I know. But I still think that I should. It seems like a waste for me to just be sitting around."

"Talk with me?"

"Your Highness?"

"We never did finish our discussion yesterday."

"I-" How did she explain how badly she wanted to escape. How did she tell him that the room, so small when he first walked in, had shrunk even further when Maria and His Grace had left? How could she explain that every moment she was near him, the terror of being discovered always lurked in her mind? That there was another fear that she could not explain and did not understand. "I know we were interrupted, but I didn't think there was anything else…"

"Nothing terribly important. I did wonder what you thought of the ball, though. You went to it, right?"

"Oh, yes," Kyoko considered this for a moment, sitting down in her chair next to the desk. "I think… it was a nice event. It was certainly a chance to get to meet lots of new people. It was very grand," her voice became a bit wistful.

"Thank the Duke. He took over most of the preparations outside of the guests since Yukihito was crushed under the load of invitations and replies he had to sort through. And His Grace can never do anything small. Which was probably a good thing, in this case."

"It was magnificent. The music, and the people, and everything. I think it was an especially nice event for all of the common people. A once in a lifetime experience, and done in a very orderly manner, in spite of all the chaos." She smiled at him. "I don't think your father could out-do it."

There was a strangely warm feeling sitting in Kuon's chest right then. He doubted he had ever had kinder feelings towards any person than he did for this girl right now.

"So I did something right?"

"Something incredible."

Definitely best feeling he had ever had.

"If only the end results had been as successful," he murmured, turning to look out the window. He missed her sudden flush. "It would have been good, if I had made the right choice there."

"You're dissatisfied with yourself now?" she asked, pointing out that she should not understand what he was talking about. He surprised her with his answer.

"Oh, that's right, you wouldn't know. I suppose it couldn't hurt to tell you. My parents, the Duke, and Yukihito are the only ones who know about it. But you aren't the kind of person to talk about it."

"Your Highness, I really don't think you should-"

"It's fine. It isn't about them, after all."

"If… if you really think that you would like to."

"I do." He paused for a moment. "The truth is, after the ball, I decided to ask one of the girls that I had met to marry me. She… rejected me. Without any hesitation. Which was fair. I didn't really make her a flattering offer." His expression became distant.

"Do you… regret it?"

"I regret looking like a fool, but I deserved it since I was one. I just wish I knew what I should do at this point. I suppose I have my entire life left to find someone, fall in love, get married. I just don't know what to look for anymore."

"Why do you have to look right now?" Kuon chuckled darkly.

"In case it escaped your memory, I am a prince. One that someday will have to be a king, and spawn little princes of my own. And I'm the only child of my parents. It would be a great comfort to a lot of very stuffy people if I were to get leg shackled, regardless of my opinion of the matter."

"That… is difficult."

"I have to meet some very interesting expectations to be sure."

"But, your parents aren't forcing you to do anything, are they?"

"No. They're far too overindulgent for that. They never ask me for anything, if they can avoid it. But I haven't done anything as far as anyone can tell to show that I'm thinking about my responsibilities in the future."

"So you think that if you get married, your parents would be happy and everyone else will be more comfortable."

"Well, I don't think my parents will be happy unless they think that I am, but I'm not sure that that should be my biggest concern anymore. I respect my parents, but they haven't exactly shown any restraint when it came to trying to make me happy. And I'm not sure that I've been better for it, or that it has been better for the kingdom."

"Being king means you have to make sacrifices," she suggested.

"Yes."

"Then, it sounds like you've already figured out what you need to do." He stared at her.

"I… I suppose so."

"It makes sense that you would try and appease the people you've been worrying. That doesn't mean you shouldn't try your hardest to find someone to marry that you like, but if you need to compromise, then that's what you can do."

"And don't throw any more crazy balls."

"No. That probably wouldn't go over well. And you can't really marry anyone they wouldn't approve of either."

This time, he did catch her blush as she realized what she had said.

"That would probably be good idea," he conceded, choosing to ignore her embarrassment. "Which would be another good reason to not host any more crazy and suspicious balls."

"Y-yes."

"It is a pity though. I really don't think my parents will be satisfied if I don't love the girl I marry. And the Duke will definitely throw a tantrum. He's like that."

"So I've heard. Well, you still have time to find a girl that you can love," Kyoko pointed out.

"I guess. I don't know that it matters too much though."

"Doesn't it. Being with someone you really care about is very different than being with other people. Especially being with someone you're in love with."

"I wouldn't know," he confessed. "I've… never been in love before."

Kyoko stared.

"You've… never been in love before? Ever?"

"Not once," he replied as casually as he could, in spite of his embarrassment. What had possessed him to tell her this?

"That's impossible," she declared. "Everyone falls in love. Even you-"

She cut off suddenly, turning deep red. Kuon could not think of a good reply to this declaration, and wisely kept silent.

It was probably a good thing for both of them that the door slammed open again just then, this time admitting Yukihito.

"Kuon, what _are_ you doing? I've been looking everywhere for you. His Majesty wants to see you since Queen Juliena is out for the afternoon. Why on earth are you-" he stopped suddenly as he noticed Kyoko, sitting flushed. "Oh. My apologies. I didn't realize you were busy…"

"Oh no," Kyoko insisted. "Not _busy_. I was just headed out. Your Highness, I'll leave you to see your father. I'm sorry for keeping you. Master Yukihito."

She made a quick escape and Yukihito watched her with interest.

"Should I ask what you were doing?" he questioned with a sly smile.

"Probably, since you seem to think I'm up to something indecent," Kuon retorted. "We were talking. Speaking, a rather large distance from each other, in case you didn't notice."

"Yes, well, things happen…"

"Please never, _ever_ say that again. Particularly not in that disgustingly suggestive way with that horrible look on your face. It is beyond disturbing. And it isn't fair to Miss Kyoko."

"Well, I'll admit that you've been much more… restrained lately, but that hasn't stopped girls from falling madly in love with you for existing. And she certainly looked flustered."

"She isn't madly in love with me. We just accidentally stumbled upon a topic of conversation that wasn't to either of our taste."

"Did it involve her liking you?"

"No," Kuon growled. "I thought that you had worked with Kyoko before."

"I have."

"I wouldn't have known it," Kuon snorted.

"Well, she is more… sober than most of the girls that are around here. You know, I think she reminds me of someone."

"Really? Who?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, let me know when you figure it out," Kuon told him as he exited the room ahead of Yukihito, off to pay respects to his father.

It turned out that the king actually did need Kuon to help him with some work. Queen Juliena had abandoned her husband in the middle of answering letters because she had forgotten to get a birthday gift for the young daughter of an old friend. Hence Maria had been whisked away to help and Kuu had been left to answer the remaining letters. Between him and Kuon, they were able to remember all of the people they were supposed to be writing to, and compose appropriate replies. Juliena returned to find both of her men sitting at a desk, nursing cramped fingers and cursing shopping in all of its various forms.

"Did you miss me?" she asked them, gliding into the room. Kuu pouted and held out his hand for inspection.

"You broke it," he complained. Juliena laughed and took his fingers, kissing each one.

"Better?"

"Much," he smiled.

"Should I get yours too, Kuon?" she asked. Her son shook his head.

"You have too jealous a husband. I might lose all my fingers, and then what would I do?" His parents laughed and his mother moved around the desk to give him a hug.

"I'd have to make you clothes that didn't have buttons," she told him, dropping a kiss on the top of his head. Kuon shuddered.

"Another wardrobe fitting? I think I'll keep my fingers as they are."

* * *

_Hope that you liked it. Sorry again for the slow updates. Life has decided that it is not my best friend, and has stolen my time away in large chunks. I won't trouble you with the details. Suffice it to say that Will's and my schedule have been at odds, so our usual efficiency has been cut greatly. Maybe next week will be better... I hope. Although, Will stabbing through her finger with a needle probably wasn't a good sign.  
_

_Thanks again to all my reviewers, and to Will. Especially to Will. She has had a lot of stuff to read through this week, and so much of it was no good. Hopefully, the end result is worth it.  
_


	15. Impossibilities

_Chapter 15..._

* * *

Kyoko and Maria arrived at fencing practice one morning to find that Prince Kuon was not there yet. Since this happened from time to time, they thought nothing of it, but let Ryutaro begin to lead them through some warmups. Kuon arrived in the middle of these and apologized.

"I didn't get to sleep until late last night. Sorry for the delay." Ryutaro shrugged and Maria ran over to hug Kuon in greeting. She was severely scolded by Kyoko and Ryutaro since she had not dropped her sword in the process and had nearly grazed Kuon's leg when she had grabbed him.

"I'm sorry," she pleaded, looking up at her almost-victim.

"I'm fine," he reassured her. "But you should make a habit of storing your weapon before indulging in excitement."

"Yes, Your Highness," she cooed, dropping a mock curtsy as best as she could in her breeches.

"Alright, alright, enough flirting you two," Ryutaro admonished, earning a smile and blush from Maria. Kuon agreed and walked over to claim Kyoko.

"Ready?" he asked, jerking his head to tell her to follow him away from Maria and her teacher. She trailed after him, nodding an affirmation.

"I'm ready, Highness."

"Alright. Guard."

"Highness, why are you standing so close?"

"Because you are going to try and stab me, and I need to be close enough that your arm can actually reach."

"I'm going to what?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"You are going to make a pass at a living, moving, target. Don't worry. I won't be retaliating, just defending. And if you actually manage to hit me, it will be a miracle."

"Thank you, so much," she grumbled, raising her point to meet his.

"You're welcome," he responded mildly. "Now, your move."

Kyoko moved in and Kuon parried easily, giving her an unamused look. She made a few more passes, each one earning another displeased response from the Prince. He knew she was not taking this seriously, probably out of fear. Kyoko, irritated by his silent reproof, lunged in again, this time with more determination. Kuon blocked, this time without any disapproval, and Kyoko moved immediately for another pass. But instead of deflecting her move, Kuon stepped back and turned to cough dryly into his sleeve. Kyoko moved instantly from irritation to concern.

"Highness?"

"Sorry. I probably should have at least had something to drink before I came down." He made a gesture to one of the servants cleaning on the edges of the room and they hurried off to get him a drink. "Here, we'll try again while we're waiting. You did well."

Kyoko moved back into position and made a few moves before Kuon had to stop again to cough once. He apologized and they worked undisturbed until the servant returned, but Kyoko watched him worriedly. During practice, nothing distracted the Prince. That a cough was bothering him…

Kuon took his drink and handed the cup back to the servant and thanked him. Then he turned back to Kyoko and her lesson. He managed to work for several minutes before the cough returned. He called a short break, and Kyoko noticed he was rubbing his throat carefully, a look of discomfort on his face.

"Your Highness, are you not feeling well?" Kuon looked up in surprised.

"I'm a little tired because I stayed up so late, but I'm fine." Another dry cough escaped.

"I think you have a cold," she told him, stepping forward to investigate. Kuon shook his head.

"I don't get sick. I can honestly say I've never been sick before in my life."

"Then you wouldn't know what it's like," Kyoko pointed out. "Does your throat feel dry, and scratchy? And your head ache?" Kuon stared at her.

"It… does hurt. My head. But that is just from exhaustion. As for my throat, I'm sure it's nothing."

"Your Highness-"

"Come on, we need to get back to you lessons. We're distracting the others."

Kyoko looked over to see that Ryutaro and Maria had both stopped to watch the exchange, Maria with a worried look on her face. Kyoko sighed, nodded to the Prince, and stepped back to begin again.

She might have let it go if she had not paid so much attention to Kuon during their practice. But as they went on, the coughing during breaks got worse. Maria did not notice because he muffled them, but Kyoko could not ignore his condition. And he seemed to be moving slower than usual. By the end of practice, he actually looked tired, something that had never before occurred. Still worried, Kyoko was relieved when Duke Takarada showed up, announcing that he would be taking his granddaughter for the remainder of the day.

"I need her to help me pick out my outfits for the rest of our parties this year. It will be a long and tedious task, full of fancy and intrigue, so you shouldn't see her again until bedtime."

"Yes, Your Grace. Maria, you'll need to excuse yourself from all your other activities," Kyoko reminded the other girl, ignoring His Grace's flamboyant and somewhat inappropriate description of his plans.

"I know. I'm sorry, Prince Kuon. I don't think I'll be able to make it to our ride tonight." Kuon gave her a warm smile.

"My loss," he told her. "Tomorrow then?"

"Yes, Your Highness!" She dropped another mock curtsy and went to take her grandfather's hand. "I'll need to get changed first," she told him in her most prim tone. Lory smiled and promised to escort her to her own rooms first.

Once they were out of earshot, Kyoko rounded on the Prince.

"Your Highness, you should go rest," she told him with a surprising amount of authority in her tone. Ryutaro chuckled as he noticed the surprised look on the Prince's face.

"Miss Kyoko, I have practice here still, and a number of meetings that I should attend-" He cut off with a new bout of coughs. Ryutaro frowned.

"Has he been like that all morning?" he demanded of Kyoko, not trusting Kuon's answer. She nodded. "Go to the infirmary," he told Kuon. "Takenori will tell you if anything is wrong, or if you're fine. Good grief, you look half dead, boy!"

Kuon grimaced.

"I'm really fine," he objected, looking between both his opponents and noticing no concession in either face. Ryutaro shook his head and turned to Kyoko, looking her over carefully.

"Miss Kyoko, is your wrist alright?" he asked conspiratorially. She was about to assure him she was just fine when she caught the look in his eye.

"It hurts a little," she told him, rubbing it carefully. He shook his head.

"Prince, you have to be careful with new students. She's a hard worker, but she's a young lady. She hasn't used as much of her time in physical exercise."

"I'll keep that in mind," Kuon promised, his eyes shifting between them.

"You'd better take care of her," Ryutaro sighed, pointing to the door. "Escort her to the infirmary properly, like a good gentleman. Now," he added when he saw that Kuon was not moving.

"I'll of course take her to Takenori," he replied coolly. "I wouldn't want to shirk any of my duties. Miss Kyoko." He held out his arm, but while she stepped next to him, she did not take it. He shrugged and the movement made him surprisingly dizzy. Now that he had stopped moving, it did not seem so easy to start again. But he did move forward, and managed to make it all the way to the infirmary without tripping over his own two feet, a task that was unusually difficult.

"Ah, Your Highness, Miss Kyoko, what can I do for you?" Takenori asked as they stepped in. Kyoko caught his gaze and held it significantly, jerking her head at the Prince, who was now too distracted by standing to notice.

"Master Ryutaro wanted you to look at my wrist, but I think it's just fine," she told him, holding out her hand. Takenori turned it over a few times and nodded sagely.

"Yes, I don't see any problems. No lingering effects from your fall to hamper your learning. But Your Highness, you don't look very good."

"My father would take objection to that," he murmured, still sensible enough to crack a joke. Both his companions smiled.

"Perhaps I should have said you aren't exuding your full measure of handsome manliness," Takenori suggested. Kuon chuckled, then winced, rubbing his throat. He coughed twice, causing Takenori to frown.

"Now what is this?" he demanded, dragging the Prince over to a chair and sitting him down. "Don't tell me humanity has caught up with you at last and dragged you back to our imperfect level," he asked, feeling the Prince's pulse and temperature. "You are running warm," he grumbled, moving back over to Kyoko to make sure it was not just the exercise. She was significantly cooler than the Prince, and Takenori poked and prodded Kuon for several more minutes, asking a few questions.

"Is he sick?" Kyoko asked.

"Of course he is," Takenori answered, stepping back. "Any common doctor could see as much. Really, you are beyond foolish. How long have you had the cough?"

"At least since we started practice," Kyoko answered when Kuon did not. "But he didn't have it yesterday evening, when he was riding with Maria and I." He glared at her betrayal and she shrugged.

"Well, it isn't too bad yet," Takenori stated. "But you should be resting. I'll let His Majesty know that you aren't supposed to be involved with the meetings today, and you can just go and rest. You're healthy enough this should pass in a day, maybe even by tonight, if you go and sleep now. I'll give you something to help keep the fever down, but sleep is really your best cure at this point."

"I'm sure I'm fin-"

"Your Royal Highness, I have been hired as the head physician here to make sure that the royal family stays in good health at all times. If you do not follow my instructions, I will lie to your parents and tell them you are dying, begging them to put you to bed. Are you sure you don't want to rest?"

Kyoko had to stifle a giggle at the look on Kuon's face. He heard her and looked up, frowning impatiently.

"I hope you realize this is your fault," he told her, with as much passion as he could muster. Kyoko shrugged.

"I would never forgive myself if something happened to Your Highness because I was slacking in my duty as a member of the realm. The royal family works for the people with the expectation that the people will work for them. Even with my other duties, I'm not an exception."

"Thank you _so _much," Kuon growled in response, annoyed by her sense of duty for some odd reason. He did not want her pity, especially if she felt she _had_ to care. But… why did it even matter? She was right. It was her job, in a cursory way, to take care of him. He sighed in frustration, confused out of his mind, and dizzy to cap it all off.

"Now, Your Highness," Takenori scolded, "that's no way to speak to a lady."

Kyoko immediately began to protest this statement, proclaiming that it was in the Prince's right to treat her however he chose, and that she was most assuredly _not_ a lady. Takenori smiled and shook his head. Once he had gotten her to calm down, he dismissed her, stating that he would take care of the Prince from here. Kyoko went to curtsy, realized that she had not yet changed, and bowed deeply to the two men before fleeing from the room.

"Do I have to rest?" Kuon asked once she was gone. Takenori sighed in frustration.

"Yes, Prince. Unless you want your parents hovering over you anxiously while you waste several days in a sickbed, you should go rest now."

"Oh, alright."

Kyoko went to change, catching Maria and the Duke as they were leaving the room. She checked once more to see how much time she had to herself, and the Duke reassured her that he expected to keep Maria the rest of the day, and would put her to bed himself if things took too long. Kyoko thanked him and stepped into the room to wash up.

Once she was presentable again, Kyoko traveled downstairs to the kitchen with the intention of working there for the rest of the day. She knew there was a banquet that night, and walking into her old work space she was unsurprised by the wanton chaos. Only the area around the head chef was calm. She examined the room and waited for a clear path before making her way over to him. He greeted her in his usual gruff manner and gestured to his wife, who was over at the table, counting dishes. Kyoko approached the woman, but waited until she had finished making notes before speaking.

"You needed something?" Kyoko asked, catching her attention.

"Oh, Kyoko. Thank goodness. I had heard that His Grace had released you for the day, and I was hoping you would come down. Otherwise we would have had to go and get you."

"Get me? Are you that busy? Should I ask His Grace to release me to help you more often?" Kyoko asked.

"Oh no, nothing like that. It's just that you're the only one we can depend on for this." She looked around to make sure everyone was busy before gesturing Kyoko to step in closer and speaking in a low voice. "Master Takenori wants someone to look after the Prince. Apparently, he isn't feeling very well and isn't used to being sick. With everything happening on such short notice, we couldn't think of anyone to send but you." Kyoko blanched.

"Me? Aren't there people working for Master Takenori who can-" she stopped as the older woman shook her head.

"All his aides are female, and it isn't a good idea to use them," she responded sympathetically. Kyoko nodded, not even considering the fact that she was also technically female.

"Is there a reason Master Takenori asked for someone from the kitchen?"

"The Prince is going to need someone to cook for him at some point. Which makes you doubly the best person for the job, since you're used to his tastes."

"I see. What should I do then?"

"You'll be attending the Prince all day. Just stay nearby and make sure he doesn't wander or anything. Master Takenori is saying the Prince's condition is better than it actually is so that Their Majesties don't worry, but he thinks it will continue to get worse if the Prince does not rest."

"I'll be with him all day?" Kyoko asked in a terrified whisper. The woman nodded.

"You'll be fine. And my husband will make sure you can get anything you need to take care of the Prince, even though he isn't very happy about this."

Kyoko was not very happy about it either, but she knew her duty and made her way out of the kitchen and to Kuon's suit. She entered the main room without knocking, a little concerned to find that door open. The bedroom door was closed, but since she received no answer she entered that room as well, carefully peeking around until she had spotted the Prince collapsed on his bed, contorted in such a way that suggested he had meant to sit down and had only managed to fall over.

This was in fact, very true. Kuon had accepted Takenori's remedy and had made it back to his room mostly by force of will. He had barely changed into something more comfortable to sleep in before he had sat down on the bed and proceeded to faint, all of his strength gone.

Kyoko approached the bed carefully and quietly, checking first in her mild panic to see if he was breathing. Once she was satisfied of this, all of her nurturing instincts took over. She might only be a servant in the palace, but he had been placed in her care. He would likely put up a fight at some point, but she could be strict, even with the most selfish and bratty of invalids. She could easily handle anything that the Prince threw at her.

Or so she thought.

"Your Highness," she shook his shoulder gently. "Your Highness, you need to wake up for a moment. You need to move so that you don't hurt your back. Your Highness." He finally responded with a groan and his eyelids split slightly. They shot open when he realized who was in front of him.

"Miss Kyoko-" he croaked before he flinched, his throat scratching.

"Your Highness, you should move so that you are more comfortable," she prompted, tugging on his arm to try and help him up. He followed her pull into a sitting position.

"What- why are you here?"

"Master Takenori wanted someone to watch over you. I'll be making you dinner too, once you've rested properly. But now, we just need to scoot you back into bed…"

This proved to be impossible. The oversized bedcovers could not be pulled down far enough with where Kuon was sitting, so he had to stand and let Kyoko pull them back. It was difficult, since he also had to lean on her shoulder for support, but she managed it. When she turned to help him back down, however, she was no longer assisted in supporting his weight by the bed, and they both tumbled unceremoniously to the floor. Kyoko was too stunned at first to move, and when she realized what position she was in, she also discovered that she did not have the strength to get the Crown Prince off of her. His body was a dead weight over hers, and almost more disconcerting than his perilously intimate position was the fact that she was having a hard time breathing with him crushing her.

"Your Highness," she prompted. "Your Highness, please." When he did not respond she took as deep of a breath as she could and adopted her most scolding voice. "Your Royal Highness, this is unacceptable behavior!" He shifted, his eyes peeking open. "Prince Kuon, is this how you treat a lady?"

In a daze Kuon rose and Kyoko let out a sigh of relief. She continued to coax him back into his bed with similar scolding promptings, where he fell back asleep instantly. Kyoko pulled his covers up, brushed off her skirt, checked for unseemly creases, and sighed once more in relief, stepping back out into the main room. Figuring he would sleep for some time, she elected to read a book, leaving the door open to hear if he awoke.

Several hours later, he did woke enough to request water and to complain that he was hungry. Kyoko got him the water, wishing that she had something that would soothe his throat more. He was soon awake enough to want something to do, so she got him a book and promised to be back up with something for him to eat shortly. She had an interesting expedition in the kitchen where the Head Chef had questioned her very carefully about how her work was going with what she felt was an undue emphasis on the Prince's behavior. Since he had only really been sleeping, and had asked her perfectly politely for food, she did not understand why the chef was so interested. Though she supposed he might have had reason to be curious if she had told him about Kuon collapsing on top of her.

She eventually brought Kuon back a warm gruel, which he accepted gladly.

"I'm sorry about all of this," he mumbled, taking a slow bite.

"It isn't a problem, Highness. I was going to do some kind of work even though I wasn't watching Maria. And I've taken care of sick people before."

"I'm still sorry," he told her. "You were right about me being sick, and I should have listened to you from the beginning. Takenori said my stubbornness and overworking myself only made it worse, and I wouldn't be in this state if I had just heard you out the first time."

"I'm sorry to have caused you trouble," Kyoko replied softly, moving to refill his cup.

"You shouldn't be," he retorted before coughing a few times. "The fact that you exhausted me says you're improving with your fencing. And that is a good thing."

"If I could remind Your Highness, fencing is not a skill I expect to use in the future. I'm learning it for Maria's sake."

"Is that right?" His gaze was intense and critical.

"It isn't that I don't enjoy it," Kyoko added. "But once His Grace takes Maria home, I'll be back to my usual work."

"You're planning on staying here?" She smiled.

"I don't have anywhere else to go, Highness." Kuon pondered this for a minute and Kyoko reminded him that his food was getting cold. He gave her a mumbled thanks and continued eating.

When he had finished, he was tired again, but still did not want to sleep. He read for a few more hours, Kyoko sitting in the other room and listening for if he needed anything. Around supper time she went to get them both something to eat, and after another light meal, he fell back asleep.

Kyoko sat quietly, reading and listening in case he awoke again. The hours passed by slowly. She wondered briefly if the Duke had needed her to care for Maria, but figured he could have found her if he did. It was not until the wee hours of the morning that Kyoko was disturbed again.

"Is he still sleeping?" a voice asked quietly from the doorway. Kyoko glanced up in shock to see the king at the door, still in his formal evening dress. She stood to curtsy and nearly fell over. Her legs were asleep. The king stepped over to help steady her. "I'm sorry. Are you alright?"

"Oh yes," she reassured him, regaining her feet and stepping back. "Your son is still sleeping, Your Majesty. He drifted off after supper. I think he'll sleep through the night."

"How has he been?"

"He's been fine, Your Majesty" she reassured him. "He was tired when he was awake, but he ate everything that he was given and didn't cause any trouble." Kuu smiled wryly.

"He must have been sick if he wasn't causing any trouble." He looked towards the bedroom door, worry flitting across his face. Kyoko had to resist the impulse to reach out and rest a reassuring hand on his arm.

"I'm sure he'll be perfectly fine tomorrow, Your Majesty" she said instead, putting as much confidence into her voice as possible. He smiled at her.

"Thank you. For everything. Why don't you head off to bed now." Kyoko opened her mouth to object, but was cut off by the wave of a hand. "No, it's fine. His mother and I will sit with him the rest of tonight. We've sat up with sick people before. Though he probably won't like it," Kuu admitted sadly. Kyoko bit her lip before replying.

"I think he would appreciate it," she whispered. "My mother died when I was too young to remember, so I don't know if she ever sat up with me, but I always wished that my father could have."

Kuu watched her intently for a moment before resting a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you," he whispered back. Kyoko flushed, curtsied, and made a quick escape.

When Kuon woke the next morning, he was feeling much better and was frustrated to see his mother reclining in a chair next to his bed, asleep in a position that could not in any way be comfortable. But Kyoko was right that he was touched to see Juliena there, even though he protested to her once he had woken her. She ignored his threats and told him that it was a mother's duty to watch over her child, and that he should not worry because his father had kept an eye on him as well, so she had gotten plenty of good rest.

Kuon shook his head, but hugged his mother and promised he would not worry her anymore by getting sick. She called him a silly boy for making such promises, but returned the hug and promised to keep his father from hovering over him the next few days. Kuon smiled in relief.

It was several days later, and Kyoko and Maria were just finishing lunch. They had chosen to eat in the main dining hall that day instead of eating in their room for the noon meal. They were joined partway through by Yukihito.

"Hello Miss Maria, Miss Kyoko."

"Good afternoon. Is there something that you need, Master Yukihito?" Kyoko asked, as Maria was still chewing.

"Oh, no. I've just finished my work for the morning at last. But it's surprising. We don't usually see the two of you down here."

"We wanted to try a change of pace."

"I see."

He got his food and joined them at their table, chatting mostly with Maria, but keeping an eye on Kyoko the entire time. Just before the girls left, Kuon arrived.

"Prince!"

"Prince Kuon."

"Your Highness."

"Well, isn't this a nice welcome. What are all of you doing out here?"

"The ladies are here for a change of pace. I was hungry and came down for my lunch," Yukihito explained, popping a bite of bread into his mouth.

"Well, I suppose that makes sense." Kuon chatted for another minute, then went and got his food as well and would have settled down for an interesting conversation, but the group was interrupted by a messenger with a missive for Maria.

The entire party held its breath as the girl accepted the letter and announced quietly that it was from her father. Kyoko thought it looked thicker than the last one, but she knew better than to say anything. Maria looked at the envelope for several moments before she finally looked up to Kyoko.

"I think… we should go start our lessons now," she said quietly, avoiding the eyes of the two men watching them. Kyoko nodded and excused herself and Maria. The men let them go, but wished they could know what was in the letter.

Reaching the room, Maria collapsed at the desk and stared at the missive, her hands trembling. She could not bear to open it.

"Maria, would you like to save it for later?" The girl shook her head. "Do… do you want me to open it?"

"No, I'll do it."

Her hands were still shaking, but she took the letter and opened it carefully. Looking over Maria's shoulder, Kyoko noticed that the handwriting was completely different than the last letter. She wondered with horror if Maria's father had been having a secretary write a pre-scripted letter to send to Maria. The thought made her feel ill.

She stayed close to Maria as the girl began to read, but quickly moved back, certain that her charge was no longer in need of support. A small smile had formed on Maria's face and the barest hints of tears were gathering in the corners of her eyes.

"Papa," she whispered.

Kyoko waited until she felt Maria was in control of herself again, before approaching and laying a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Would you like to write him back today?" She would not ask what was in the letter. It was none of her business.

"Yes!"

When Kuon came to collect the two for their evening ride, Maria was just putting the finishing touches on her response. She signed it with a flourish and looked up just in time to see him enter the room.

"Your Highness," Kyoko greeted him.

"Prince Kuon! Is it time to leave?"

"Yes. I wasn't sure if you would still be busy, so I came to check."

"We'll be out in just a minute. I'll finish this and we'll change," Maria told him, a wide smile on her face. Kuon, looking at the desk, returned his own relieved smile and glanced over at Kyoko. She was relaxed and looked rather pleased. Kuon was glad. He had hoped things would turn out well.

"Then I'll meet you down in the stables as soon as you are ready," he told them, making an impressive bow and earning a giggle from his young admirer.

"We're sorry for the trouble," Kyoko added politely. He smiled.

"No trouble at all." He left in a cheerful mood, certain that today would be very good.

Sadly, he was not quite right.

When the two girls reached the stables, Kyoko noticed that her horse was different from the one she normally rode.

"Well, aren't you pretty," she noted, stroking the new animal's nose gently. She looked at the Prince. "Is Swan alright?" Kyoko had a particular affection for the horse that she normally rode.

"She's fine," he answered absentmindedly.

"She's probably tired since the Queen and King rode out this morning," Maria added. Kyoko froze. "Her Majesty doesn't ride much, so she doesn't use Swan too often. All the other times she has, we've always gone on walks."

This innocent speech had turned Kyoko to stone and Kuon hoped vainly that the ride would not be completely spoiled.

"I see. It's good that I'm not riding her," Kyoko replied, her voice only a little tight. Maria looked at her in confusion, but relaxed when Kyoko gave her a smile. Kuon was still concerned. When Maria got distracted by the head groom teasing her about her breeches, he went over to Kyoko.

"She didn't mind you using Swan," he said bluntly, but low. "I didn't ask her the first time, but I made sure that I told her and I got her permission for all the times after that. It really isn't a problem."

"Of course not, Your Highness." She turned to leave without looking at him. He sighed in frustration, but called out to Maria and retrieved his own horse.

Really, what did it take to reassure this girl?

Kyoko was quiet throughout the ride and a little stiff when she left Maria and the Prince during supper. Her own meal was taken downstairs with the staff that night, as supper for the royal family was going to be a private affair and Lory wanted his granddaughter to spend time with the monarchs. This occurred every so often, and Kyoko appreciated it. Returning to the kitchens from time to time allowed her to keep up with her old friends and know what was going on in her absence.

She received a large number of glares from the young women present, which she ignored. These were normal, and as little as she liked them, she understood the sentiments. She was spending a good deal of time with the Crown Prince. Even if she did have to take care of Maria, surely that was a worthwhile tradeoff.

Kyoko didn't know how to explain that she would much rather be locked away with Maria than with His Highness. She doubted anyone would believe her if she tried.

Upstairs, Kuon poked at his food disinterestedly. Maria was chatting happily with her grandfather, telling him all about the letter she had received, Yukihito was in a deep conversation with the queen, and Kuu watched his son with a worried look.

Kuu had to wait until after dinner to actually speak to Kuon. When a person had to eat enough food for fifty people in one sitting, it was difficult to hold a conversation. But once Maria had been sent off and the adults congregated in the bookroom, Kuu turned his attention to his still sighing son.

"Long day?" he asked, easing himself into the chair next to Kuon.

"Not particularly," came the apathetic response. Kuu considered letting it go, but decided against it.

"What happened?" he finally demanded in a stern voice. Kuon looked up at his father, a little surprised. They had had serious discussions before, but Kuu rarely pressed his son. Kuon was not sure what to say.

"I… made a mistake. And I'm not sure how to fix it."

"Sounds like a normal problem. Was it a particularly bad mistake?"

"More careless than anything. But I really can't decide what would be the best way to fix it. I'm not sure if I offended her, or if it's something else…"

"Her?" Kuu was surprised to see a small flush appear on his sons face.

"Miss Kyoko."

"_Oh dear." _"The girl watching Maria?"

"Yes.

"What happened?"

"Nothing especially terrible. You know that she's been using Swan, right?" Kuu nodded. "I didn't tell her that Swan was Mother's horse. She's sensitive about imposing and looking like she's trying to take advantage of her position. I meant to let her know at some point, but forgot about it and Maria mentioned it today. I tried to explain that I had gotten Mother's permission already, but…"

"She didn't believe you?"

"No, she just…" Kuon searched for the right words to explain it. "She shut herself up. She didn't really say anything when we went out, and she was at her most perfectly polite when we got back."

Kuu pondered this, pointedly ignoring the fact that Kyoko's behavior was a perfectly rational and acceptable thing.

"You say she doesn't like to be seen as a leech?"

"More or less."

"Did you think she might feel like she was getting lax in her behavior? I've only really met her twice, but she does seem to insist on placing people at their proper value. She might be more angry at herself for not paying attention. Not even noticing she was riding the Queen's horse was probably a shock for her. Especially since other people probably noticed it."

"You're probably right." Kuon replied. But this revelation did not seem to comfort him.

"So what's wrong?"

"Nothing that can be fixed," he stated, staring off into space.

"Ah…"

Lory had been watching their exchange with no small amount of interest. More so even than Kuu, he had noticed Kuon's strangeness, and had his own theories about its origins.

He sighed, turning to Yukihito to start a conversation. If he was right, things had already become extremely difficult, and the solution would ultimately be more painful than complicated.

"_It would be nice, young lady, if you were a princess in disguise…"_

Maria snuggled into her blankets as Kyoko pushed back her hair and then settled in a chair next to the bed.

"What story do you want tonight?"

"The fairy prince one!"

"Alright. The one where he meets the little girl by the river, right?"

"And he gives her his magic stone and then he finds her again when she's older, and they fall in love, and live happily ever after."

"If you know it so well, why don't you tell it to me?"

"Because _I_ have to go to bed."

"Alright then."

When Maria's breathing had finally settled, Kyoko slipped quietly out of the room. She considered heading straight for bed, but instead decided on a walk. She wandered the halls for a little while before deciding she needed night air after all.

In just a few minutes she was wandering the garden, a little more haunting in the dark, and mostly bare as it prepared for winter.

She found a bench to sit on and looked up at the night sky. The stars twinkled and the moon shone pleasantly at half full. She was struck suddenly by the feelings of loneliness that had been building up inside her all day, and pulled her knees up to her chin, burying her face in her arms.

"Papa…" she cried into the still night. It was so lonely.

She missed him, had always missed him. Seeing Maria reconnecting with her father had brought Kyoko feelings of joy, and also jealousy. Maria still had people left to care for her. Kyoko had no one.

"Papa… Papa!"

She trembled with repressed sobs, trying to stay quiet, trying to crush these feelings that threatened to overwhelm her. It was too much. The loneliness, the wanting to reach out more to the people around her. Wanting to help the royal family, wanting to help Maria, wanting to help the Prince. The aching feeling she got every time she pulled away from them, knowing that she had no right to be near them, even to help. The longing to be anywhere else, any_one_ else. Keeping them all at a distance, know that she could not let them close enough to discover her secrets. Some other problems, she could handle those. This, this was torture. She didn't know how much longer she could take it.

She felt a sudden warmth settle over her shoulders and looked up in surprise to see a beautiful smiling face looking down at her, tugging a cloak around her shoulders.

"You should bring a coat if you're going to come out at this time of night. You might catch cold."

"Your Majesty-" she tried to stand, but was pressed down by a gentle hand.

"None of that," the older woman insisted. "I'll accept that you respect me and I'll let you play court rules at any other time. But right now, I don't think I could take it." Kyoko gave her a confused look.

"Why?"

"Because there is nothing sadder to me than a person hiding away because they think I'm something other than human. You were crying just now weren't you? Those feelings don't go away just because I am here. Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"I don't think so," Kyoko murmured, hoping she did not offend this woman.

"I'm sorry to hear that. It's so frustrating," she declared, sitting down next to Kyoko. "Kuon's a boy, so he almost always goes to his father when he really needs help with something. Everyone else is so busy honoring me and worshiping me as some kind of idol, they never ask anything from me."

"Never?"

"Never. You could say I'm a side character in the play of my husband and son's life."

"How horrible," Kyoko breathed before she could think better of it. She blushed, but Juliena just smiled.

"Well, if that were the only thing in my life, I suppose it would be horrible. But I do get to help with plenty of official business. And I love my husband and my son. I just wish I could do more for individuals sometimes," she said wistfully.

"It's a good feeling, helping others," Kyoko agreed.

"I think so. And you certainly seem to be good at it." The admiration in that beautiful woman's eyes was directed straight at Kyoko and she felt it warm some long dead part of her heart.

_A mother,_ she thought. _If I could have a mother, I would want her to be just like this woman_.

She immediately dismissed the thought as arrogant and silly, but still blushed prettily under the benevolent gaze.

Watching the younger girl become embarrassed, Juliena could well understand her son's fascination, a thing she had noticed silently for some time now. Whatever his actual feelings toward the girl, Juliena thought Kyoko was a darling who needed very badly to be taken care of. For all that he rarely acted it, Kuon was a soft person at heart and would have easily come to care for such a desolate and wonderful soul.

She hoped that he was able to help the girl in some way. Part of her even unrealistically hoped he came to love this girl, but she could not really wish the complications of that relationship on her child or this one.

They both deserved so much better than the horror of that kind of heartache.

"How is Maria doing?" Juliena asked, suppressing a sad smile as Kyoko immediately relaxed into her role as caretaker, closing herself off.

"She's doing very well," Kyoko responded. "She's very well behaved and she is very good at completing her lessons. She's growing into a wonderful young lady." Juliena placed her hand over Kyoko's.

"She must make you very proud." Kyoko shook her head, her face warm.

"I'm glad that I can be of service to His Grace and to Maria. But she's doing well thanks to her own gifts, not mine."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short," Juliena insisted. "Even if Maria is teaching herself, she's working because of your influence. You're a good teacher. She's been so lively lately. Especially this evening. You've done that." Kyoko shook her head again.

"I try to encourage her, but I'm not the reason she has been excited today." Kyoko's eyes became distant, her tone wistful. "She got a letter from her father today. He's the reason she had been so happy."

"That's good," Juliena replied calmly, wishing she could do more for this person sitting next to her. "My own father died when I was very young, so I never knew him very well, but I've always worried about Maria and Kuoki, especially since Lina died. I never felt they depended on each other enough."

Kyoko's mind drifted back suddenly to her own childhood.

"_Papa, where's Mama?" Her father's face was smiling, but she reached out to hug him anyway, feeling like he was not really happy. Her father picked her up and let her arms circle his neck gently._

"_Mama isn't here anymore. She left, a long time ago," he told her quietly._

"_Why? Was she angry?"_

"_No. She was very happy here. Mama and I were very happy. You were too. But she was called away to a special place, and we haven't been invited there yet."_

"_Isn't she lonely?"_

"_Probably a little. But she has her mama and papa there with her."_

"_I'm not lonely," Kyoko announced with concern. "Didn't I love Mama?" Her father smiled warmly._

"_You loved her very much. But even though your heart misses Mama, and my heart does, we still have each other. So it doesn't feel lonely."_

"_Oh." Kyoko had pondered this for a moment before squeezing her father's neck tightly. "I love you, Papa."_

"_I love you too, Kyoko."_

Juliena watched the girl next to her with a mix of fascination and worry. Kyoko was clearly present in body and not in spirit. If Juliena could have known it, a few moonlight fairies had taken a perch on Kyoko, and were also watching her with concern.

"Miss Kyoko?" The girl snapped back to reality.

"I'm sorry Your Majesty. I think I just…" her voice trailed off and a tear formed in the corner of her eye.

"Should we head inside? You shouldn't stay out here too long," Juliena stated as she brushed a few stray strands of hair out of Kyoko's face, smiling gently and fighting the urge to wrap the girl in a warm embrace. Kyoko felt the soft feeling in her heart growing quickly and irrationally.

"Y-yes, we probably should. Especially since I've taken your cloak."

"I believe I lent it to you. But yes, it is getting cold. And my husband will start to worry if I don't get back soon."

They rose and walked most of the distance back together. Kyoko cried off eventually to head to the kitchens and see if she was needed for anything the next day before she went to bed. Juliena returned to her room and was welcomed by her husband, who was just beginning to fret.

"You said you'd only head out for a few minutes," he whined as he wrapped her in a tight embrace. "You're cold!"

"I got a little distracted. But I came back, and all in one piece."

"Distracted? Did you run into one of the guards on your walk? Did he distract you?" His voice was suspicious and Juliena wondered how such a childish husband could still make such a good king.

"No. I ran into the young lady watching over Maria."

"Miss Kyoko," Kuu's interest was instantly piqued. "What happened?"

"Should I be jealous?" she teased him, slipping out of his hold and crossing her arms, a mock frown on her face.

"Julie," he whined, chasing after her. She let him catch hold of her again and laughed.

"You are a ridiculous man."

"And you are a beautiful woman," he responded, kissing her softly.

She could not argue with that, and instead let him lead her off to get ready for bed.

* * *

_Dangit. Kuu and Julie, stop stealing my romance! STOP IT! Bah, they never listen. Hope that you all enjoyed the chapter at least. Here is to whimsically hoping that I have enough time to update again soon. Thanks to all of my reviewers. Will gives her own special thanks to everyone who offered her band-aides and hopes for a quick recovery. She has not fallen into a hundred year slumber, and in fact has seen no worse effects in her life than a paper-cut would have caused. But she still appreciates the concern and well wishes.  
_

_Our hopes and prayers go still to all those that are suffering from the recent tragedies in Japan.  
_


	16. Falling

_At long last, chapter sixteen. Enjoy._

* * *

Kyoko woke the next morning and let out a depressed sigh as she recalled the events of the previous evening. Not only had she indulged herself in a bout of unmaidenly tears, she had done so in the presence of The Queen. Add to this her improper conversation with the esteemed monarch, including ignoring the queen as she drifted off into her own world, and Kyoko could sum up her first impression on the woman as the worst she could have managed.

She conveniently forgot to add all of Queen Juliena's kindness and generosity to the equation.

Kyoko pulled herself together before waking Maria, and even managed to have a good day working with her charge. Maria was happy to expound over breakfast and lunch some of the details of her father's letter, which warmed Kyoko and worried her. It seemed as though Maria's return home in the spring would be a happy event, but it was also evident that she had some expectation that Kyoko would be coming with her. Kyoko had not been invited by the Duke to continue as Maria's companion, and still considered herself a worker in the palace. She was concerned that Maria was becoming too attached to her, and that she would disappoint the younger girl.

But for now, she simply did her best, smiling and encouraging Maria in her work.

"Papa said that he wanted to hear about my new dresses," the young girl was explaining over lunch. "I didn't tell him about the breeches last time, but I did tell him this time. And I told him about the fencing. I wonder if Grandpapa told him about that?"

"It wouldn't be very nice if he hadn't," Kyoko noted. Maria nodded.

"Yes, but Grandpapa does stuff like that all the time. So I made sure to tell Papa that I was getting special lessons with Master Ryutaro, and that you were there to make sure I was okay."

"I thought I was there so that you would get along with your teacher."

"But I always get along with Master Ryutaro. Grandpapa said you were there to make sure I didn't get overexcited and hurt myself."

"I think your grandfather has communication issues," Kyoko grumbled, causing Maria to giggle. She flushed slightly. "I shouldn't have said that, Maria. I'm sorry."

"But it was true," Maria pointed out. "And it was funny."

"I still shouldn't have said it."

"Well, I won't tell anyone. And I'll remember to not say it myself, so you won't get in trouble for not teaching me properly."

"Thank you Maria."

When Kyoko came down with Maria for their ride that evening, Kuon was waiting for them, holding another horse that Kyoko had never seen before, this one coal black.

"Your Highness. Did the queen go riding with Swan again today?" she asked, eying the new horse suspiciously.

"No. This is from His Grace. And before you start babbling about how you couldn't possibly accept this, I've been given the message that you are commanded to use it. He won't accept no."

"Very well. Did he explain why?"

"He said he hadn't thought about you needing a horse for yourself since we keep so many here. But since you do go riding everyday, and since there is no knowing when _all_ of the other horses might be in use, he got this one for you. He also said that since you probably would be up in arms if he actually gave it to you outright, you were to be told that it was his horse that he bought for whoever was taking care of Maria and riding with her."

"His Grace thinks of everything," Kyoko grumbled, embarrassed that the man had such a good grasp on her personality.

"Do you not like her?" Kuon asked with a smile.

"Oh no! I just… but he just got it for his own convenience, and now I don't have to inconvenience Her Majesty."

"You weren't inconveniencing her, and I think she would resent it if she heard you say that. She did give her permission."

"I'm sorry," Kyoko grumbled as she stepped over to her new horse and rubbed its nose. "What's her name?"

"She doesn't have one. She is fairly docile most of the time, but she is supposed to have a vengeful streak towards people that treat her badly. Apparently, her last owner wasn't that great of a keeper and just called her 'that _thing_,'" Kuon informed her, oddly bothered that she was not looking at him as she spoke, more interested in the horse.

"How careless of him," Kyoko murmured as she continued to inspect the creature. "What does His Grace call her?"

"He doesn't, since she doesn't have a name. And because he has no plans of using her personally."

"You don't mean-"

"He wanted you to name her yourself."

"Oh." Kyoko thought for a minute. "He really shouldn't have done that." Kuon smirked.

"I'll make sure to tell him that," he offered. Kyoko turned white.

"No, please! I didn't mean that-"

"I'm sure he wants to know how you feel about his generosity," Kuon continued.

"Please, don't!" Kyoko begged. Kuon, while slightly amused, felt a little guilty for causing her so much worry.

"Prince Kuon, you aren't being very nice to Kyoko," Maria scolded. "A gentleman shouldn't threaten a lady."

"But Miss Kyoko keeps insisting that she isn't a lady," he told her, unable to stop himself, earning a bitter look from Kyoko. Maria frowned.

"You're going to get her in trouble," Maria insisted. "And then Grandpapa will get me a new teacher, and that would be the worst. And _I'm_ a lady."

Kuon and Kyoko both smiled, Kuon not bothering to tell Maria that it would take much more than a passing comment for Lory to release Kyoko. Kyoko, in the meantime, was proud of her charge for dealing with this unruly man in such an effective way. She only wished she was not getting so careless herself. She needed to keep a better guard on her tongue.

"Then, for your sake, Miss Maria, I will guard this secret with my life." He bowed and offered her his hand, which she shook to seal the bargain. Then he straightened and moved to help Maria onto her horse. "Now, Miss Kyoko, if you will name this beast, we can get started."

"She isn't a beast," Kyoko corrected absently, turning back to the horse, stroking its nose again. "Mio. Her name should be Mio."

"If you'd like," Kuon replied as he mounted. "Now, are you coming with us?"

Kyoko threw him a dirty look and mounted herself. Maria watched the exchange worriedly, but relaxed as they finished their ride and no more trouble surfaced. Kuon even managed to tease Kyoko back into a good humor by telling stories about his father eating a giant meal before all of his meetings so that he would not have his stomach growling while he was supposed to look impressive. Kyoko had a hard time repressing all of her laughter, and had forgiven Kuon enough by the end of their practice that she even let him help her dismount from her horse. If she noticed that his hands had lingered for a moment on her waist as he set her down, she did not comment on it.

Two days later, the girls were about to start lessons after lunch when they were interrupted by His Grace making a typical grandiose entrance, dragging behind him a small entourage which included the Prince, Yukihito, and Sebastian.

"My lovely ladies," he announced, "I have a treat for you!"

Kuon caught Kyoko's eye and raised a brow at the word "ladies." She glared back at him, and returned her attention to the Duke.

"What is it, Grandpapa?" Maria asked excitedly. The Duke gave her an impish smile.

"You have been trapped in this palace for far too long. Kuon tells me that Miss Kyoko is more than able to ride a horse on her own without mishap, and I have decided you need more interesting experiences during your stay here. So, he will be escorting you into town for a brief shopping adventure. And as a special treat to him, I did not tell the queen about this."

"Thank you ever so much," Kuon grumbled, knowing full well how much more interesting his mother would have made the trip.

"I'm being let out of the palace?" Maria asked excitedly. Lory nodded.

"I'll be sending Sebastian with you, just in case His Highness loses track of you. Miss Kyoko, you'll be going as well, but Sebastian is in charge of Maria, so you can feel free to run any of your own errands."

"Thank you, Your Grace. But I don't think I have any commissions in town. If there is anything that you need-"

"Thank you, Miss Kyoko, but I have people to run errands for me. Consider this something closer to a mandatory vacation, since you don't take any days off when left to your own devices. And before you object and say you're better placed in the kitchen, I have already had you released for the day by the Head Chef."

"If Your Grace is certain-"

"Absolutely certain," he told her. "And, so that you will not be trapped to my granddaughter, Master Yukihito will be your escort. I would have asked the Prince, but he will be in charge of watching Maria, and since she hasn't learned to ride side saddle yet, she will be riding with him."

"I would never dream of imposing on the Prince so inappropriately, Your Grace. And if Master Yukihito is certain that he has time-"

"It's his mandatory vacation as well," the Duke interrupted again. "Their Majesties have decided that he needs to get out of the palace because the recent influx of guests has forced onto him much more work. And since taking care of you is supposedly a much less strenuous task than his usual assignments, he will be your companion for the afternoon."

Kyoko sighed but nodded. "Thank you, Master Yukihito. I'm sorry for the trouble."

"It isn't any trouble," he reassured her. "As far as mandatory vacations, I think this one has been my best so far."

Kyoko did not point out that he had not actually started his task yet, so he could not know for certain, but thanked him politely and the group headed to the stables and out of the palace.

Going into town was surprisingly exciting. Because she had no errands of her own, Kyoko chose to stick close to Maria and the Prince, enjoying the younger girl's delight at all of the sights and sounds. She was also amused by Kuon's attempts to keep Maria in line so that he could control his horse. He was obviously loath to annoy her by telling Maria that she could not look at anything, but was worried that she was going to get them thrown off his mount.

"Maria," Kyoko called out when she noticed the girl was particularly distracted by a bright display of jewelry. "Would you like to get down and look around? His Grace did say that this should be a sort of shopping trip."

Maria instantly agreed to this agenda and Kuon dismounted, helping the younger girl down to look at the goods. The rest of the group dismounted, Kyoko politely refusing both Yukihito and Kuon's assistance, and began to move about the market, staying within sight of each other. Sebastian eventually fell further behind, taking the Prince's horse so that he and Maria could move around more easily.

"Miss Kyoko," the aide intoned, catching her attention.

"Yes, Master Sebastian?"

"If you would give me your horse as well? For your convenience." Kyoko smiled and handed over her reigns.

"Thank you. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No, Miss Kyoko. I have no business here except to watch Miss Maria."

"Are you sure? It wouldn't be a problem."

"There is nothing, Miss Kyoko. Only…"

"Yes?"

"Please take care. Master Yukihito already looks distracted."

This was very true. Yukihito had some very specific tasks he meant to accomplish while he was in town and had no intention of being sidetracked by anything. As such, he was instead distracted by avoiding distraction, using his horse as a barrier between him and anything that would divert him from his goals. He stayed close to Kyoko as long as he could. But he eventually became involved with his intended errands, and let her step further away, moving among the vendors on her own, usually at least in his sight.

Kyoko was not very interested in any of the goods on display, but she wandered about anyway, enjoying the presence of people. It had been years since she had been allowed to roam the market near her old home, and her last trip to this market had been marred by her step-mother's presence and the looming ball. To be around so many people again, happy and living such productive lives, made her relax.

Stepping around a corner, she passed a group of giggling girls who kept looking over their shoulder at a figure sitting on a large woven mat between two stalls. He was reclining casually, propped up on one arm, and smiling knowingly at the people who passed by. He was an oddity, dressed in an eye catching fashion with a touch of carelessness, surrounded by occult looking figures and glinting charms. He had silver hair, pulled back at the nape of his neck, a number of piercings in his ear, and Kyoko thought she saw purple eyes.

"He's so funny, isn't he?" one of the girls whispered.

"But so handsome. Do you think he's really a fortuneteller?"

"He's dressed like one, but his predictions…"

"Absurd."

"But he said he saw my grandmother's ghost," another pointed out.

"He was just making things up," the first stated. "You're old enough that at least one of your grandmothers should be dead."

Kyoko lost track of their conversation as they moved away. She did not like the idea of fortune telling, a fate pre-decided, and liked less the aura of the man that was now looking at her. The few fairies that were brave enough to be around so many people, wind fairies, avoided him with frightened looks. They became more agitated as his gaze fixed on Kyoko. She saw that his eyes were indeed purple.

She kept moving along, staring straight forward and ignoring him as best she could, hyper aware of the strange shiver that was running up and down her back.

"He's a finely dressed man, to be following you so closely," the fortuneteller commented as she approached. She still ignored him. "And he has your eyes…"

Kyoko stopped, almost stumbling.

"I'm sorry," she told him, regaining her composure. "But I don't appreciate you vying for my attention by making up things-"

"So he's your father? And you did get your eyes from him?"

"I have my father's eyes," she told him. "And if you're done asking questions, I'm finished here. I have no interest in your services-"

"She holds her head like a lady," he stated, as if talking to someone else. "She walks like a lady, and the finely dressed man is following her. She has his eyes." He leaned forward, propping his elbow on his knees and holding his face in his hand. "And he watches her so carefully…"

"I'm done here," she told him, turning to start walking again.

"But you haven't even introduced yourself," he objected, smiling wickedly.

"I see no reason to introduce myself to a man with no manners," she told him.

"Oh, a court lady's response. But you aren't a lady, are you? You came with the Crown, watching the little girl. Putting on airs?" he mocked.

"My work is none of your business," Kyoko bristled. She had no intention of staying, but as she moved again to go, he was suddenly in front of her.

"My name is Reino," he told her, taking her hand to kiss it. She ripped it out of his hand and stumbled back, earning a laugh from him. "I'm not going to bite. I just wonder what the pretend lady is doing with the Crown and the little lady. And why the finely dressed gentleman watches her so carefully. A face full of regret…"

He seemed to be looking at someone over her shoulder, but when she turned to look, there was no one there.

"I don't know what you're talking about, but if you could get out of the way-"

"Dressed in black, head to toe. Nice costume, like a noble. Has a crest too, on his vest, on his sword. Crest embroidered in silver and white." Kyoko bit back a comment as she listened to him vaguely describe the clothing her father had been buried in. "And eyes of regret on the girl with eyes like his. Are you a mistake?" She moved to slap him before she could think about it, but he caught her hand. "Touchy subject, I see."

"You insulted my father-"

"Did I? Where is he? Right now?"

"That isn't any of your business. Let me go!" Kyoko pulled, wondering where her companions were. The wind fairies were tugging at Reino, chattering angrily, but he waved a hand and brushed them off, ignoring the few that returned.

"Your friends are rather feisty," he commented, making a disgusted face at the creatures. Kyoko tried to stomp on his foot, but he moved it, slipping into a slick smile. "And so are you. So much pride, the nicely dressed man following you, touchy subject of your father. Were you raised by your mother? All alone?"

"My mother died before I could remember," she told him. "Now let me go!"

"A convenient truth. He makes a mistake and takes you away, giving you a nice life so you don't question anything. Maybe mother's still alive?"

"My father never lied to me! He was married to my mother long before she had me, and he loved her more than anything, even after she died. Now let me go!"

"So the finely dressed man gave you a family but kept you close, making sure you stayed safe? That mother died, and that father kept watching you. But your real father never told you the truth, and now he's dead and can't. So he watches the daughter he never claimed?" Reino asked, weaving the story and watching for her reaction.

"I said let me go!"

By this point, Kuon had noticed Kyoko was not with Yukihito. He looked to Sebastian to see if she was with the horses, and frowned when he could not see her. Sebastian caught his eye and wandered over, carefully leading the horses still.

"Your Highness. Is there a problem?"

"Can you see Miss Kyoko?" Sebastian glanced around.

"I'll check with Master Yukihito," he said, earning a nod from the Prince and moving over to the other man.

"Is something wrong?" Yukihito asked as Sebastian approached.

"Do you know where Miss Kyoko is?" Yukihito looked around and flinched.

"No. She was moving that way the last time I checked." He pointed vaguely in the direction of Kuon and Maria.

"She isn't with Miss Maria," Sebastian pointed out.

"I noticed," Yukihito grumbled, turning about and trying to find his charge. "I'm going to be skinned alive for this..."

Kuon had picked up Maria to make sure he did not lose her while he looked around, trying to spot their wayward companion. A cool breeze kept tickling his ear, bothering him, but he was too distracted to care very much.

"Prince Kuon," Maria said suddenly, "there's a fairy on your ear!" Kuon looked at the little girl.

"A fairy?" He noticed as he turned that the breeze did not abate or come from the same direction.

"Yes. It's pulling on you. I think it's worried. It pointing over there!"

Kuon glanced in the direction Maria pointed. He couldn't see anything, but the chill on his neck had gotten colder and he felt very uneasy, so he put Maria down, took her hand, and started moving towards the corner as quickly as he could. He rounded the bend in time to hear Kyoko growl, "I said let me go!"

"Such a determined liar," Reino purred. "So much anger over such a little thing…" His arm slipped around her waist just as the Prince spotted him. Kuon's face went dark, but before he could reach Kyoko, or even release Maria's hand, Sebastian materialized next to the struggling girl and in a blur had detached her from her attacker.

"You should not harass young ladies in the middle of the street," the Duke's aide intoned emotionlessly. "It's in bad taste." Reino stepped back, eying this new arrival cautiously.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding," he smiled. "Your friend here is being haunted by a rather determined ghost. He has her eyes, but she keeps insisting he isn't her father, which makes him a rather perverse specter, wouldn't you say. Following a young lady around..." Kyoko let out a hiss under her breath, but only Sebastian was close enough to hear it.

Kuon was still trying to figure out how Sebastian had arrived so quickly when Yukihito appeared around the corner, leading all the horses.

"Prince Kuon, what's going on?" he asked, getting as close as four horses in a crowd of people would let him.

"I'm not sure. What happened with you?"

"Sebastian noticed you moving and handed me the horses. Miss Kyoko-"

"Over there," Kuon gestured with his head. Maria noticed his grip on her hand was a little tight. Next to Sebastian, Kyoko was trembling with anger.

"I told you that I did not want anything from you," she stated through clenched teeth. "You insulted my father and ignored my wishes. That's a horrible method for getting customers."

Reino shrugged. Kuon, Yukihito, and Maria had come forward. Kuon had taken his horse and Kyoko's, ready to end this affair before they really began to draw attention.

"I'll keep that in mind," Reino replied flippantly, moving to sit back down. "You have my apologies, mistress. And my sympathies." Kyoko ignored him, grabbing Mio's bridle and giving Maria a reassuring smile. "You don't have to feel so bad," he continued. "Being in grand company as you are must feel degrading, but being a love child isn't so unique. They're all over the realm. It's the fate of the nobility to be unfaithful. Isn't it wonderful? Your parents felt something for each other."

Kyoko did not respond, but an awkward silence had come over the group. Maria looked up at Kyoko worriedly, reaching out a hand. Kyoko stepped away, mounting her horse in silence. Sebastian looked from the girl to the fortuneteller.

"Your name, sir." Reino gave it to him. "If you are found harassing citizens again, your right to trade in the market will be revoked," he stated. "Watch yourself."

"Of course," Reino smiled, glancing over at the Prince, who was glaring at him. His smile grew. "Care for a fortune, Highness? A love prediction?" Kuon turned away, helping Maria back up onto his horse.

"We should head back now," he told her. It was earlier than they had planned, but the little girl made no objection. "Miss Kyoko." He stepped over to her horse, keeping a tight hold on his reigns. She looked down at him. "We'll be heading back the way that we came. Would you mind leading?"

"I'll do it, Your Highness."

"Thank you." He could not help but notice the fear on her face, mixed with anxiety and sorrow. He reached out and covered her hand impulsively. "It's going to be alright," he reassured her. She gave him a pathetically weak smile and nodded halfheartedly.

Kuon did not explain his decision to Yukihito, who gave him a questioning look. He did not feel it would be right to tell his friend that he meant to give Kyoko the lead so that she could cry without anyone noticing if she wished to. He simply mounted behind Maria and asked the girl if she was comfortable. Maria gave Kyoko a worried look.

"I think I'm just fine, Prince."

The entire party was enveloped in gloom for the whole return trip. They made their way back in silence, everyone locked in their own discomfort. Kyoko wondered how quickly she would be released from her job, not only as Maria's companion but from her work in the palace. She could not tell the truth if anyone asked her directly, that her father was a noble and she his legitimate child, and she was not respectable enough for her work with this stigma hanging over her. Prince Kuon had been kind, but even if he was not just being polite and actually did not care about these supposed circumstances, other people would. There was nothing he could do to protect her either. And added to all of this, she had not been able to defend her father's name. He was a good man, and he deserved a better daughter.

Maria watched Kyoko the whole way back, uncertain what she could do. She still respected Kyoko more than anyone else, and cared very deeply for the older girl. This new information about her life was confusing, but it seemed as though Kyoko had loved her parents, even though her situation was difficult. It was impossible to know what to do.

Yukihito was most worried about the scene in the marketplace getting around. He had kept an eye on the crowd, and it did not seem like anyone had been paying too much attention, but he would make sure to keep an ear open. He was sure that Kyoko would not be released from her position even with this new truth, but it had to be dealt with carefully.

Kuon was furious for reasons that he could not explain. Aside from his anger at letting Kyoko get lost, which made no sense because Yukihito had been in charge of watching her, he was bitterly angry that it had been Sebastian who had dealt with her attacker. And then there was that freak's random declaration that Kyoko was an illegitimate child. How he had known that information was technically secondary in importance to Kyoko's refusal to deny it, but the whole thing was somehow disgusting to Kuon. Not that Kyoko was disgusting, that was impossible, but he felt sick for some inexplicable reason. Perhaps it was the look that she had had on her face when she had first turned to lead the party out. She had seemed so heartbroken, and Kuon had wished that he had some way to comfort her.

Sebastian was silent as well, but his own thoughts were even more confused than the others'. Upon their return to the palace, he placed Maria back into Kyoko's care, surprising the older girl, and told the group he would let the Duke know they had returned. Kuon and Yukihito left the girls, explaining they were to report to the king and queen once they had come back. Maria and Kyoko went to their rooms, Kyoko declaring that it would be best for them to rest before supper. Maria made no objections.

When Sebastian had finished his initial report, Lory stared at him silently.

"What you're saying is, they were in the marketplace, the fortuneteller we've heard about recently stated that Miss Kyoko was the illegitimate child of a noble, and she walked away without denying it."

"Yes."

"Did you hear anything else?"

"No, Your Grace."

"Were there any other problems?" Sebastian actually hesitated.

"I owe Your Grace an apology, and Miss Kyoko as well." Lory frowned.

"Why do you say that?"

"I am aware that my task was to watch over your granddaughter, but I allowed a young woman in your care to come to harm through my carelessness."

"Sebastian-"

"I understand that in doing this I have done two things I should not have. I left your granddaughter, which went directly against your instructions. But she was with the Prince and Miss Kyoko was not in sight, and I could still see Master Yukihito. I felt it would be best to look for her. And I did not intervene quickly enough when it became clear that Miss Kyoko did not want this Reino's attention, which is unacceptable behavior on my part."

"I'm sure that isn't true," Lory sighed, torn between frustration at this situation and concern for his aide. Lory was not a fan of victimizing females for any reason, and he was more aware of Sebastian's feelings than anyone else. Lory might be upset, but that was nothing compared to the feelings of misery and guilt that Sebastian was suffering. No amount of information accidentally gleaned would make this right in his eyes. "You did your best. And I'm sure Miss Kyoko doesn't blame you."

"Of that, I am also certain, Your Grace."

"But it doesn't make this any better, does it?" Lory stated, smiling sadly.

"No, Your Grace."

"Well, we can't change anything. What did you think of this ghost?"

"I can't be sure of anything," Sebastian said, shifting into an even more emotionless reporting tone. "He appears to have spoken of her father with her, and he stated the ghost following her had golden eyes. But the noble was mentioned after the fact, and not connected to the ghost. Miss Kyoko said nothing at all."

"And this Reino didn't mention any names?" Sebastian shook his head. Lory wanted to pull his hair out. "This. Makes. No. Sense."

"Your Grace?"

"She won't talk about her past, but it certainly seems like she is the illegitimate child of some noble. And she's protective of her father, which suggests he was actively involved in her childhood, as does her skills and knowledge. But if he kept her so close, how could we not know about her?"

"Perhaps the eyes-"

"Golden eyes are common up north. Well, not extremely common, but you can find them in nobles and commoners scattered about. I can name two noblemen living in the north right now with 'golden eyes,' though they probably aren't as pure as Miss Kyoko's."

"And they would not be her father," Sebastian added, recalling the men himself.

"No. The timeline is all wrong, and there is no way their wives would have tolerated a bastard child in their homes. Besides, more than all of this, the only one who insisted that Miss Kyoko's father was noble was the fortuneteller. Nothing she said technically confirms or denies it. And if she was living with her real father, which would make sense since she seems very attached to him, that suggests that he wasn't noble."

"Which doesn't explain how she knows so much," Sebastian pointed out. Lory sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"It's all circles," he growled. "Whoever her father is, it seems like we're best off assuming he's dead as well. And if her mother is dead like Maria said…"

"We have no leads," Sebastian concluded. Lory's head fell onto his desk, an unusual act, even for the eccentric Duke.

"We have nothing," he muttered to the table. "Nothing but a girl we have to get out of this palace as quickly as we can."

Sebastian held his peace.

That evening found the Duke in his granddaughter's room, having a brief but direct conversation with Kyoko. Maria was already in bed asleep, and from what Lory could tell, it had been a stressful day for them both. Kyoko was not surprised to see the Duke, but was surprised by what he had to say.

"Sebastian told me about what happened today. I'm not going to ask you for the truth, since it is your business, and I understand that Yukihito is already dealing with the few people that overheard the conversation. You won't bring an indirect stigma to my granddaughter, and you're worth too much as her tutor for me to let you go for anything short of murder. I have no desire to push you into running away. Please understand that my opinion of you has not diminished, and neither has Their Majesties'."

"They know abou-"

"Between Kuon and Yukihito, they were bound to be told. The whole of the royal family fully supports you staying here, as does Yukihito and myself. And if Maria has changed her opinion of you, she is not the young lady I thought she was."

"The Head Chef-"

"He doesn't hire people based on their family background, but no one has told him anything about what happened. If you wish to, you may. But I would suggest not to unless you are willing to tell him the whole truth of the matter."

"I understand, Your Grace," Kyoko whispered, staring at the floor. "Thank you again, for all of your generosity. I will try and be worthy of it."

Lory gripped her chin and forced her to meet his eyes.

"Miss Kyoko, you are worth every penny I have paid to keep you near Maria, plus a mountain of pennies I am sure you would not accept not matter how I offered them to you. Even if you were hiding a dead body in the dresser and I did have to release you, everything that you have done for me and for my family has been worth everything that I have invested. I do not regret having hired you in any way. Understand that." Kyoko flushed slightly and nodded.

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Good girl. I'm sure I'll be seeing you around. Take care of Maria."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Thank you, Miss Kyoko," he replied before sweeping a grand bow and exiting.

The next couple of days were awkward, but everyone who knew anything worked to make Kyoko as comfortable as possible. Maria was diligently obedient and worshipful, going out of her way to be on her best behavior, and to give Kyoko a hug whenever she could. She still worried that she was not doing enough for the girl that she looked up to as an older sister.

The Prince also went out of his way to make Kyoko more comfortable. It might not have been very successful, but luckily their first meeting was at fencing practice the next morning. Kuon was already there, waiting with Ryutaro when the girls arrived, and lessons began so quickly, Kyoko did not have a chance to establish if Lory had been telling the truth about Kuon's opinion of her. Within a minute of her arrival, she was standing across from the Prince, pointing her sword at him.

"Your Highness-" she began, hoping to get some sort of information before they started.

"Pay attention," he interrupted. "We're doing something new today and you're going to collect bruises if you are distracted."

"Highness?"

"We're switching places. You're defending, I'm attacking. I won't do anything you haven't seen before, so don't make that face. I'm not going to kill you. You're ready for this. Now, guard."

Kyoko gulped, but raised her sword and planted her feet.

"You're sure about this?" she asked, her voice almost a squeak.

"Miss Kyoko," Kuon made sure she was looking at him. "Relax. You can do this. Do you think I've been skimping on your training?"

Kyoko shook her head vigorously.

"No, Your Highness. But that doesn't mean I learned very well."

Kuon made a pass at her, startling her, but not hitting her. She had blocked in time. Kyoko stared at her practice sword in shock as he pulled back.

"Pay attention," he told her again, raising his own blade back to a guard. Kyoko looked up at him and nodded, readying herself again. "Ready?"

"Yes, Highness."

The rest of practice went well. Kuon became more serious as she adjusted to this new exercise, and by the end of the morning, Kyoko was exhausted but comfortable. Twice during the lesson, Kuon had halted everything to correct her position and give her some advice. He had behaved as exactingly he always did, and later that evening when she and Maria went to ride with him, he was as teasing and relaxed as ever. There was still an uncomfortable nagging feeling in the back of her mind, but Kyoko allowed herself to relax back to her only slightly nervous and paranoid state. She did not have to leave here yet. And it looked like she was not hated either. Maybe it would all be alright.

A week later an early chill dashed through the region for a few days, leaving a number of surprised people suddenly sick.

One of these unfortunates was Maria.

She was still extremely sensitive to the subject of illness, and that she had caught a cold at all distressed her. She fussed when Kyoko watched over her the first few days, but accepted that it was just a little chill and Kyoko would never forgive herself if she did not watch over her charge properly.

In spite of Kyoko's best efforts, Maria's cold turned into a high fever. Lory, who had been visiting his granddaughter very frequently over the past few days was not surprised, but did worry.

"She doesn't get sick too often, but when she does, it can get very bad," he explained to Kyoko the afternoon after Maria's fever had risen. "It was why Lina was so worried about her before and why she got so sick herself. Maria's likely to get worse before she gets better."

"Should someone else be sitting with her?"

"Only if you get sick easily. Takenori says you've been doing everything you should for her. He trusts you, and so do I. But she will need to be watched more frequently, I think."

"I shouldn't have any problem doing that."

"No, I meant constantly, and you can't handle that. Besides, if we divide the work there is less chance of anyone getting sick taking care of her, and then we don't have to worry about her feeling guilty once she gets better."

"As you'd like, Your Grace. But I really shouldn't have any trouble-"

"I appreciate your willingness, but we both know you can't actually take care of her every minute of every day. I'll stay with her, Takenori will watch her, and I'm sure even Kuon and Their Majesties will be willing to look after her for a little while."

"I'm sure I can-"

"Miss Kyoko, no matter how much you might dislike the royal family, this is my decision and it would be pointless to argue that matter further." Kyoko flushed in horror.

"I don't dislike them at all! They're all wonderful people! I'm sorry, Your Grace, I just…" She could not explain her feelings, and Lory took pity on her in her discomfort.

"It's fine. But I won't be letting you worry Maria by getting sick, and while I would be happy to entrust her care to any number of able people, she probably won't listen to them like she will to Kuon, Their Majesties, or myself. We've taken care of her before. You don't have to worry about anything. And when one of us is taking care of her, it will be a break for you. You don't have to stay and wait on us."

"I understand. Thank you, Your Grace."

Everyone who knew her was irritated several days later when they realized that in spite of having given Kyoko breaks to rest, she was still working around the palace.

"You are supposed to be resting," Lory told her when he found her scaling a ladder to clean the windows. "Kuon is sitting with Maria right now and _you_ are supposed to be taking a nap!"

"I'm really alright. And I promised to finish all the windows in this hallway at least."

"You shouldn't have. You were supposed to _rest_."

"If I'm not sitting with Maria, I really should be working still. I have the time."

"Bed, as soon as you finish with this _one_ task. No more work. You're the only one who takes the night shift watching Maria, and you work the parts of the day when everyone else it too busy. You will go and sleep."

"I'll stop after this, Your Grace. But I hope you'll believe me when I say I'm fine. I don't get sick very easily, and I've dealt with much worse than this."

Lory felt sick at the thought.

Kyoko had dealt with much worse. Whenever her stepmother and sisters had gotten sick, she would have to take care of all three of them and still keep the house in order. It was made more difficult by the fact that none of them were good patients and her stepmother in particular was even more demanding than normal when she was ill.

If Lory could have seen her working under those conditions, he would have flown into a rage. And His Grace rarely lost his temper. But somehow, this girl had the ability to stir him into a passion.

"It's ridiculous," he stated later, sitting with Their Majesties, Kuon, and Yukihito after supper. Kyoko had returned to Maria's side for the night. "She's the most hardworking girl that any of that any of us have ever met. She isn't stupid and she's not a leech. So why does she not listen when we tell her to take care of herself?"

"I'm sure she's just trying to be helpful," Juliena stated, trying to sooth her friends fraying nerves.

"How is worrying everyone else helpful?" Lory demanded in a huff.

None of his companions could answer. But the thought haunted all of them. How they could have come to worry about a girl they barely knew was a mystery to them, but they were worried about her. Even more than about their own work, which was highly unusual. Kuon especially was having a hard time not wondering about Kyoko, keeping a close eye on her every time that he saw her, making sure that she did not look too tired or stressed. She seemed to have a strong aversion to him in particular watching over Maria in her place, which saddened him. He had tried once to tease her about it to see if he could discover why, but his only response had been a tepid, "I meant no insult. I'm sure Your Highness can take care of Maria just fine. If you'll excuse me, I'm sure they need me somewhere else."

He wished he could tell her that he-and everyone else- was concerned for her. But he was certain that she would dismiss this idea, and probably be made uncomfortable by it. Even now, she was still so distant...

Lory went down to the kitchens the next day to try and see what he could do about Kyoko's workload.

"I'm sorry Your Grace. We can refuse her if you think she really shouldn't be working. But we are short on people ourselves right now. We need all the help we can get and she's much more efficient than anyone else that we have," the head chef's wife explained as he sat and munched grandly on some refreshments she had found him.

"Is there any way you can control the work she does? I know you do need to get things done, but she works all day and most of night. It won't be good for anyone if she gets sick. Then I have to find someone else to watch Maria and you still won't have her to work for you."

"And she'll be sick," the head chef interrupted from where he was working at the counter. Lory smiled and nodded.

"Yes. And she'll be sick."

"I'm sure we can think of something," he replied.

"That's all I ask," Lory announced, standing to leave. "Thank you for your cooperation."

Kyoko was frustrated when she was told that she would not be able to help with some of the work, but she accepted the restriction with surprisingly little fuss. Perhaps she was going soft, but she was getting tired with all the work that she did. It would be nice to relax a bit. And if she was banned from her usual chores, she would not have to worry about hurting herself and being unable to take care of Maria. It was safer this way.

Kuon was walking behind the palace in the afternoon a few days after this when he heard a snapping crash from one of the trees near the river. He hurried over and was mildly amused to see Kyoko hanging precariously from several branches rather high up.

"Hello," he called, trying to keep the laughter out of his face. Kyoko must have heard it because the look she gave him was furiously cold.

"Your Highness," she grunted as she tried to pull herself up. Kuon looked beneath her and frowned, just realizing her predicament. Being so close to the river, the tree leaned out over a rather steep hill, making it impossible for her to drop down, especially since she was going to have to drop backwards the way she was hanging. The river was rushing at the bottom of the hill, and there were a number of rocks lining the bank.

Kuon felt something strangely akin to panic. Of all the dangerous places to get herself stuck, why had she chosen this one?

"What are you doing up there? Is there something wrong with standing on the ground?"

"They asked me to look for something that had been left outside. A basket. I was trying to get a better view since someone they said they had left it fairly far out but they didn't remember exactly where."

"Did you find it?"

"Yes. But I slipped as I was trying to get down."

"Can you pull yourself up?"

"I should be able to-" she was cut off as the branch in her left hand snapped and she had to flail for another one. Kuon had moved beneath her as she scrambled and now noted the shallow cuts on her arms and face.

"Careful," he told her, reaching up as far as he could. With the hill, there was still a couple arm lengths between him and the girl. "If you fall and die the Duke will be out of a keeper and Maria will be upset."

"Heaven forbid I should inconvenience anyone," she snipped, still trying to pull herself up. Kuon heard the branch creek.

"I would suggest you stop moving," he stated mildly, projecting a calm he did not actually feel.

"And do what?" she snapped, clearly at the end of her patience, probably a little panicked herself.

"I could catch you," he told her, expecting the look of irritation that crossed her face.

"And then we can both fall into the river and break our necks. That sounds like a brilliant plan."

"I'm not that stupid. I'll fall forward when I catch you and we'll be fine."

"That _is_ a stupid plan."

"Well, if you have a better one, I'd be more than glad to hear it." Kyoko stared at him in frustration for a moment before she sighed. She noticed some fairies floating around her, upset. She seemed to worry them all the time now, and felt a bit guilty for it. Looking down at the Prince, she noticed some of them were sitting on his shoulders, comforted by his presence. They at least had faith that he could save her.

"You won't drop me?" she asked in a slightly pathetic voice.

"I will not drop you," he promised, touched by her tone. He braced himself and held up his arms, ready. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and released the branches. He caught her and let her weight pull him forward, twisting so that he would not actually land on top of her. They toppled gracelessly into the grass, but she did not even squeak, reassuring him that he had not hurt her.

He couldn't be sure then, if it was the warm feeling of her in his arms or her scent that got to him. All he knew was that a moment after they had hit the ground, instead of releasing her, he pulled her closer. She let out a small noise then, but he did not actually hear it. She was facing away from him, and suddenly, inexplicably, he wanted to see her face. He let her go enough to push himself above her and hovered there.

Kyoko's breath caught as she saw the intense look on his face. Her heart started pounding and she could feel a burning sensation in the pit of her stomach. When he reached and stroked her cheek she felt herself getting dizzy.

This was _not_ happening.

He leaned in, his fingers sliding up to brush across her lips once, and her heart jumped up into her throat, making her voice tight and breathless as she tried to regain control of the situation.

"Your Highness," he paused, a look of confusion coming onto his face. "Your Highness, I… need to get back to work." He sat back, the dazed look fading as he came back to himself and realized what position they were in.

"Ah, yes…"

He pushed himself up quickly and stood, stumbling as he tried to step backwards on the hill. She reached out for him instinctively, but he righted himself and stared in surprise at her hand. She pulled it back quickly and scrambled to her feet.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled, stepping forward to check and see that she was okay. She pulled back.

"It's fine," she reassured him hurriedly. "I'll… I'll be going now." She gave him a deep curtsy and dashed off to pick up her missing object. Kuon stayed there for a while, watching her leave.

He could not know that the aching throbbing where his heart was supposed to be was matched by her own.

* * *

_There you are. I hope that you enjoyed it. Looks like the romance finally deigned to drop on Kuon and Kyoko. Hopefully this means that things will get even more interesting soon. Will, don't you dare touch that jar! Just because I haven't put it away yet- No, don't you _dare_!_

...

_Anyway, I do hope that the chapter was worth the wait. Thanks to everyone that reviewed. Will and I both appreciate it. It might be difficult to hear Will's thanks around the gag but... Anyway. We'll try and get seventeen out in a reasonable amount of time. Things are a little crazy for us both over these next few weeks, but we will try to not disappoint. I'll untie Will once she promise to behave and things should move forward from there. Thanks to you all for holding out._

_On a final note, catastrophe doesn't disappear in a moment. Our thoughts and prayers still go to those in Japan, and to all other people who have been affected by what has happened.  
_


	17. Bindings

_Chapter 17, for your enjoyment._

* * *

Kyoko attracted a good deal of attention when she returned to the kitchen. She had brought the promised basket, but she was covered in scratches, her hair was mussed, and her dress was stained. She somehow managed to explain how she had gotten hurt without involving the Prince, but she was sure the head chef had noticed her heightened color, and his wife seemed to be overly concerned about her few scrapes and bruises.

"Are you sure you're alright? You're really not hurt?" the older woman asked.

"I'm fine," Kyoko smiled as best as she could to reassure the woman. "I ended up falling out of the tree, but I landed well and I'm really okay. I only have a few nicks."

"Well, you'd best have them seen to," the chef's wife told her. "And if you notice that anything else is wrong, let Master Takenori know. He'll take good care of you."

"I will," she promised as she exited.

Takenori did not quite believe Kyoko when she repeated her story to him, but given that he had a few other people with him, did not press her. Prince Kuon had come by earlier to see if Kyoko had stopped in yet, but Takenori did not mention this either. He noticed her absentmindedness and raised temperature though.

"Have you been resting enough? You seem a bit feverish," he noted as he treated a cut on her cheek.

"Probably not," she admitted guiltily, rather than explaining the truth of her preoccupation. Takenori was instantly suspicious of her honesty. "I've been working instead of resting. But I was really needed."

"Of course you were," he agreed mildly. "Still, you should be more careful. If you're starting to feel unwell, it would be better for you to rest when you can." He considered the nervous and dejected looking girl in front of him for a moment. "In fact, that's an order. I'll let everyone know you're unavailable for work until I've approved you again. We can't have you sick when Miss Maria finally gets better."

"Oh, I'm really alright. I'll rest today and I'll be fine tomorrow," Kyoko insisted.

"Then I'll examine you tomorrow and see if I agree. But until I do, you're to stay in bed as much as you can. And if you get tired at all while you're caring for Miss Maria, you let someone take over for you right away."

"I'm really sure you don't need to-"

"No, that's a good idea," Lory declared, striding into the room. The Duke had been looking for Kyoko in the kitchen and had been concerned to hear that she had gone to the infirmary after getting into an accident. He saw now that she was alright, but was glad that he had decided to check on her. "I know you don't want to waste anyone's time, but really, this is too important to let go. I should have insisted more from the beginning. Now you might be getting sick after all."

"I really not sick," Kyoko insisted. "I'm fine. I just-"

But she had to stop here, because what could she say? She was only flustered? She was just embarrassed? She was too tired from her last job? Two of those led to further awkward questions and the last only confirmed their belief that she was too ill to be working.

"Bed," Lory insisted. "I know you're a hard worker, and I'm sure once you're better you'll have plenty of things to do. But for now, follow orders and get to bed."

Lory would not tell her that he had also run into the Prince just minutes ago, looking worried and distracted. He would not tell her that Kuon had insisted taking Lory's shift watching Maria right then because he would not be able to take the one just before the night shift after all. The Duke would not tell her that he had a fairly good idea that something had happened between Kyoko and Kuon, even if nothing serious had come from it. He would simply send her to bed and hope that Kuon had the sense to be in Maria's room when Kyoko arrived so that they could continue to avoid each other. It was the best solution for now, until Lory could discover exactly what had happened and how to best defuse it.

"I understand, Your Grace. I'll be off now," Kyoko responded as calmly as she could, biting back her frustration. She was practically skipping work, keeping secrets like this. Was there any other offense she could commit against these people? Lying, laziness, and unreliability. How had she become such a despicable person?

"Good," Lory interrupted her thoughts. "I want you well rested so you can watch Maria tonight. She's been restless all day and she'll probably need special attention."

"Yes, Your Grace," Kyoko stood and curtsied to both men, bowing her head to avoid looking them in the eye. Then she moved towards the door.

"And Miss Kyoko," Lory called out. She paused before exiting. "Take care of yourself."

Kyoko gave him a confused look since she was fairly certain he had already said as much, but nodded obediently and left.

Kyoko entered Maria's suite as quietly as she could and made her way softly to her own room. It had dawned on her as she had trudged along the hallways that if the Duke was not with his granddaughter, Kuon or one of his parents were. She did not trust herself to see Kuon again. She was still too confused over his behavior. She also did not trust herself to not try and resign from her post at the palace if she ran into either of Their Majesties. For reasons she was not brave enough to contemplate, she felt like a traitor, in need of capital punishment.

She couldn't decide whether to change her clothes or not, but finally collapsed onto the bed, her face buried in her pillow. The turmoil inside her was painful, but she pushed it down as best she could.

He was a prince, she was no one. Even if he had kissed her, it would not have meant anything. And she did _not_ want it to. Of course a girl would feel her heart race if a man looked at her like that. Particularly a man like Prince Kuon. And Kyoko had no experience to protect herself with. It was just a silly thing that had happened. They were both tired, of course they were, since Maria was sick. Nothing had happened, nothing would ever happen. And she _did_ _not_ want it to.

She didn't…

As Kyoko drifted off to sleep, she did not know that she was being watched carefully by a spectre that stood at the end of her bed, sighing sadly. Eiji Mogami watched his daughter mournfully, wishing that there was more that he could do for her. In the years since his death, he had meant to move on and join his wife in a comfortable afterlife. But Kyoko's melancholy at his death had stirred his departing spirit, and with a family that he felt would not comfort her as her only companions, he could not make himself leave her.

Watching her situation over the years had been painful. The realization of his second wife's true character had been a burden for his wandering spirit, and seeing his daughter become a slave in her own home had been agonizing. He had hoped her appearance at the Prince's ball would change things, especially with Jelly's magical intervention. But in spite of all that had happened, nothing good had come of it after all.

Kyoko leaving his estates had set his heart in turmoil. He did not want her under Saena's influence, but he worried about her traveling the world alone. He had avoided interacting with the living world up to that point, fearing that he would alert his daughter to his presence and make it more difficult for him to leave as she came to rely on him. But this did not stop him from suggesting to her various employers on her trip to the capital to treat her with kindness. When she had finally reached the palace, and he had assessed her new employer, he had thought that she would be safe and comfortable at least. And with her employment to the Duke and his granddaughter, Eiji thought that his daughter might at last be set free from her difficulties. He and Lory had never been so much as close acquaintances, but he knew the Duke was a formidable man when it came to gathering information. It could not be too long now; Kyoko would be safe and he could rejoin his wife…

But it had become obvious to Kyoko's father two weeks ago that things were going to be more complicated than he had thought. Eiji had not expected the young man in the marketplace to see him following his daughter, and had not known until after she had been humiliated and had left with her party that seeing ghosts was not the only thing that Reino could do.

"_You aren't going to follow her?" he had asked quietly, watching the apparition with interest. Kyoko's father turned to look at him._

"_You're speaking to me?"_

"_Of course. It isn't just seeing you, you know," Reino explained. "I have a range of abilities, including speaking to people like you. If a living person is… intense enough, I can even see pieces of their memories. That's why I grabbed that girl's hand the first time. I didn't get anything though, and I didn't really expect to. So I had to resort to less perfect methods, like guessing and getting her to slip. Is she your daughter?"_

"_She is. But you don't need to know anything else. You've hurt her enough."_

"_Maybe. But she's interesting. I might run into her again…" Reino suggested with a leering smile, wondering what else he could pull from this being._

"_You will stay away from her," Eiji growled. Reino laughed._

"_How will you stop me? There isn't much you can do to this world, and even less you can do to me. I can see you, after all."_

"_You're going to have to get into there to get to her," __Eiji __told him, jerking his head towards the palace. "And I can prevent you from getting in there with only a few suggestions. Especially after you decided to make an enemy of Duke Takarada and the Crown Prince."_

_Reino had given him a serious look and contemplated this for a moment, but eventually relaxed and shrugged._

"_Imprisonment doesn't sound fun. I'm not a fan of pain, and prison and pain seem to be inseparable. As long as she belongs there, I'll leave your daughter alone."_

Eiji had accepted Reino's statement and had returned to his daughter's side. Now, watching her, he felt the trace remains of worry for her safety. He was sure that the fortuneteller would not come after her, but he was still a father and worrying about Kyoko was something of a habit he could not escape.

And now there was a new concern…

Kyoko let out a small whimper in her sleep and Eiji moved to the head of the bed, struggling with worry and sadness. He was so proud of the woman that she was, and he had always wanted happiness for her. It was clear to him that Prince Kuon had feelings for his daughter, and he had been watching the young man long enough that he trusted the Prince to do what was best for Kyoko. But Kuon's being able to help her was all contingent on Kyoko reclaiming her place in society, and Eiji knew his daughter would not return to that world of her own free will.

It was agonizing to watch his daughter, the only child he and his wife had had before her death, hidden away now, reduced to servitude, assumed to be the illegitimate child of some unknown and whimsical noble. She was so precious, so beautiful.

His Kyoko.

"Papa…" she whimpered in her sleep, causing her father's heart to twist.

'Kyoko,' he whispered, reaching out and gently brushing her cheek with his spectral finger, tracing a bandage sadly, tenderly. In her dreams, Kyoko felt a cool, ghostly touch and stirred. Eiji pulled back, but he did not leave the bedside. Instead, he rested beside the bed, kneeling on the floor to watch her sleep, occasionally reaching out to stroke her hair.

His beautiful, precious daughter.

The room around Kuon was silent. Maria had just drifted off to sleep and he allowed himself to relax slightly. It was distressing to him when she was awake. Maria always put on her best face and tried to laugh and smile, but Kuon was acutely aware of how exhausted she was and worried that his presence only made things worse. When she was sleeping, he felt more comfortable, but he still worried. She was so young and so small. If anything happened to Maria, it would break Kyoko's heart.

Kuon shook his head, trying to dislodge his last thought. He was not going to worry about Kyoko right now. Even if Maria was asleep, he needed to watch over her. He could not be distracted. He did _not_ want to think about what had happened earlier.

It was like a sickness almost. He would think Kyoko's name and suddenly, he could feel her in his arms. And then he would try and dismiss his wayward thought and a sharp, stabbing pain would pierce his heart. He would try and think of living out his duty as Crown Prince to refocus and the pain would grow and twist.

"Mama…" Maria let out a soft moan from the bed and Kuon snapped back to reality. The girl was not completely conscious, but her eyes fluttered open and she sniffled. "Where's Mama?"

"She's not here right now," Kuon told her softly, taking her hand and smoothing her brow. "She's… resting."

"I want to see here. Where is she?"

"Not here, Maria. Somewhere else, resting."

"I want to go there," she whined. Kuon winced.

"No, Maria. Not yet. You have to get better first."

"Is Mama sick?" she asked worriedly.

"No, she's not sick, Maria. She's just resting. But you can't see her yet."

"Where's Kyoko?" The abrupt change in topic disoriented Kuon for a moment.

"She's working… very hard."

"You won't let her get sick?" Maria begged. Kuon hesitated before answering.

"I'll take good care of her, Maria. She'll be alright."

Maria seemed to be comforted by this and fell back asleep, leaving Kuon to his own thoughts again, more troubled than before. Taking care of Kyoko was a promise he was going to have trouble keeping.

When the Prince was released from his duty later by Lory, he was distressed further as he was informed of Kyoko's current condition.

"You'll want to be quiet when you leave," the Duke told him. "Miss Kyoko is sleeping. Takenori sent her to bed. She was looking rather feverish."

"She's sick?" Kuon asked, worried that he had not noticed earlier. How could he have been so caught up in himself that he had been heedless of her condition? If Maria found out...

"Takenori said she was running small fever and seemed a bit preoccupied," Lory explained. "He figured it had to be overwork, since she was supposed to be fine this morning and nothing else could have really affected her." He watched as Kuon looked away. "So unless you can think of something…"

"No. She has been working too hard. It's probably just that," Kuon agreed quickly. Kyoko would never hide from her work. She was not trying to avoid him as desperately as he was trying to avoid her. She must just be exhausted.

"Of course," the Duke replied blandly, watching the subtle play of emotions on Kuon's face. _"Young fool."_

Lory had been lied to by experts. He had been in the middle of court life for years, watching people make agreements, break promises, conduct affairs, and hide secrets. Others might have missed Kuon's discomfort, but the boy was a million years too young to even think he was befuddling Lory.

The truth was, this hurt. Lory kept a special place in his heart reserved for Kuon, who desperately needed to be looked after. Kuu was loving, but too indulgent, and someone had to actually keep an eye on his son. His Grace had seen Kuon suffer the agonies of self hatred, had watched him care gently for Maria, and had seen him struggle to find himself in a world that was constantly against him. If there was a man on the planet who deserved to find a magical happily ever after with his one true love, Lory would have voted Kuon in a heartbeat, in spite of his mistakes and flaws.

And Kyoko had grown on Duke Takarada as well. He did not know her as well as he knew Kuon and worried about what secrets she kept from the world. But she had a presence. She was good to Maria. She was a brilliant and determined woman.

She would make a good queen. She would be good for Kuon.

"I'm sure Miss Kyoko will be fine," he continued to Kuon, choosing not to press the issue just yet. "I'll talk to you this evening about when you'll have time to sit with Maria tomorrow. If Miss Kyoko is still feeling unwell, we might have to put in some more time."

"Of course," Kuon agreed. "I'll leave Maria to you now, Your Grace."

Kuon exited and Lory sat down beside Maria's bed to stroke the girl's hair. It was good that she was still sleeping. She would not see the plotting look on his face as he made plans to unravel this affair.

It would take time and patience, but he would get to the bottom of Kyoko's secret. No matter what it took. In the meantime, he was ready to remove her from the palace as quickly as he could. Her presence would only continue to torment the Prince, and possibly herself, though it was harder to tell exactly how she felt.

But he would make this right. Somehow.

Kyoko woke from her nap late that evening, after the sun had fallen beneath the horizon. She was startled by the darkness in the room and jumped out of bed, stumbling on the invisible floor and nearly falling over. She hurried out to check on Maria just as Queen Juliena exited from the little girl's room. Kyoko froze.

"Y-Your Majesty," she stammered. "I'm sorry. I should have come soo-"

"It's alright," Juliena reassured her gently. "Please don't worry about it. Lory said that you were given instructions to rest, and I'm sure you've been very tired. Are you feeling well enough to stay up now? If not, I'm sure we can get someone else."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, but I should be just fine. I'm- I'm well rested now."

Juliena looked her over carefully, making her own assessment. Kyoko's dress was wrinkled from her having slept in it, was still dirty, and her hair was still messy. Juliena would have said she looked cute if she did not seem so frazzled and exhausted. The queen did not like the almost haunted look that she was receiving from the young woman.

"Is something wrong, Miss Kyoko?"

"Oh no, nothing. I just- I'm just very sorry that I didn't wake sooner."

"It's really alright," Juliena told her. "I wouldn't have gotten you until now anyway. Are you sure you're feeling well enough?" Kyoko nodded firmly.

"I'll be just fine, Your Majesty." Her determination was impressive, but Juliena was not satisfied. She could not prevent Kyoko from staying up without causing a small ruckus, but she wished that somehow she could help this girl.

The impulse was too strong for her to repulse completely. She stepped over and wrapped her arms around Kyoko, squeezing Kyoko tightly for a moment before stepping back and placing her hands on the younger girl's shoulders.

"Take care of yourself, Miss Kyoko," she commanded, staring straight into the fearful golden eyes in front of her. Kyoko, dazed and flustered, took a moment to respond.

"Y-yes, Your Majesty." Juliena gave her a warm smile and patted her cheek.

"Good girl. Now go on in. Maria's asked for you whenever she woke up."

And with that, the queen was gone. Kyoko took a minute to reorient her suddenly very convoluted world before deciding it had been a hallucination, the queen actually hugging her, and that she should go and see Maria before she got more confused. She could try and understand everything else some other time.

Kuon woke the next morning, feeling empty. The stabbing, wrenching pain that had haunted him yesterday was gone, but in its place sat a swirling confusion like none other he had faced. It went beyond the frustration of not knowing who he was. He had no idea what was going on inside of himself.

Well, that was not strictly true. He knew that he was attracted to Kyoko in a very serious way. Her presence was becoming a prerequisite to his happiness and comfort at any given moment. If he was discouraged or bored, he did not want to go riding or read in his room. He wanted to search the palace until he found her and stay by her side, talking to her. Watching her. Holding her.

He threw off his covers and jerked up in frustration. How had his thoughts wandered that direction? It made no sense. He could not explain it.

Kuon sought out his father after breakfast, Yukihito having told him that the king was sulking because the queen had just left for several days. He found his father in the garden, staring morosely at the half withered flower bushes.

"Yukihito said Mother left," Kuon said, by way of greeting. Kuu looked up dejectedly, the picture of a lonely lover.

"Yes. She's getting ready for the winter feast, and some thing or another took her out for a few days. Apparently Yukihito's been having difficulties with some of the food vendors, and she's going to make sure the orders arrive on time."

"I thought the food normally came from within the city."

"That's the problem. They say they can't get ahold of some things that they usually have brought in from up north. Something about possible weather problems, only the vendors' reports don't fit with what all our travelers have been saying. Your mother's going to deal with the problem at the source." Kuon let out a low whistle.

"I almost feel sorry for them. Mother is not a force to be reckoned with. But why exactly are you out here sulking like a child?"

"Am I not allowed to miss my wife?"

"I suppose, but I thought you were busy. She'll only be gone for a few days. Are you that worried that something will happen?"

"I always worry. That's my job as a husband. I worry that she'll leave the palace and meet some dashing young man and suddenly," he made a dramatic gesture, "she won't need me anymore." Since his father's tone was slightly mocking Kuon merely rolled his eyes.

"And where exactly is she supposed to find a dashing young man that actually has the courage and idiocy necessary to replace you?"

"You mock my pain," his father whined. Kuon ignored him, used to this. He had inherited his own childishness from somewhere after all.

"Really, what's wrong?" he asked. Kuu just shook his head.

"Nothing's wrong Kuon. I really do just miss your mother. I know she's probably safe and I know she'll be back by my side soon. But I love her, and I want to be with her." He was serious and Kuon was surprised. Normally Kuu was incapable of talking about his love without melting into a horrifically romantic and monumental monologue about his perfect wife and child.

"So badly?" Kuon asked, still confused. Kuu smiled.

"I know you've never taken me seriously when I talk about how much I love your mother, but she really means the world to me. It's like magic, Kuon. I see her, and I see her smiling at me, and I feel like I'm holding a piece of the sun, it's so bright and warm."

"Ouch." Kuon commented with a smile. Kuu flicked his son in the forehead before Kuon could prevent him.

"You laugh, child," Kuu growled, "because you are young. You do not understand the intricacies of affection." He was back to his mocking tone, but Kuon ignored it.

"Like what?" His father was the one to pause now at Kuon's serious tone, and he turned to consider the question before answering. Kuu had worried recently that Kuon had given up on falling in love. He was acting more responsibly in general, and had even been paying some special attention to the young ladies that had already arrived at the palace for the winter. But he did not seem particularly interested in any of them, despite his efforts, and Kuu and Juliena both worried that their son was planning on forsaking the happiness of a romantic relationship for the sake of the realm. Kuon had even made some vague comments to this effect. If his son wanted to know what was so special about falling in love, Kuu was more than willing to try and explain the issue to him.

"It's happiness Kuon. Happiness that I can't find anywhere else. It's not just that your mother's beautiful, even though I did marry an angel. It's that everything is right when she's with me. Yes, there are difficult times. We don't always agree, and sometimes, it's just hard work. I'm childish, she wants to do more, we both worry about things and can't fix them. But we're together, Kuon."

"So?" Kuu sighed, trying to decide how he could explain this.

"I fell in love with your mother from the first moment I saw her. But I didn't realize it at first because I thought I was like everyone else who was seeing her for the first time, in love with her face and form. And I assumed the only reason she was so nice to me was because her mother wanted it. You never met your maternal grandmother, and I can't say I regret that." Kuu admitted.

"She was a dragon?" his son asked.

"The worst kind. She would have done anything to get her daughter married to me, even if I didn't love her. So I was skeptical about Julie's attention. I enjoyed spending time with her and making fun of my friends who wished they were half so lucky as to escort her around. But it wasn't until she went away after the court season that I realized how far I had fallen."

"How did you know?"

"I missed her. Like nothing else. I just wanted to be beside her, that was all. I waited all summer for her and her mother to return, wondering if what I was feeling was as real as I thought it was. Then she came back and it was like part of me returned with her. We didn't get to talk much because her mother had decided on a 'keep him interested by keeping him at a distance' approach, but it was so much better just having her there to look at."

"I'm really glad I never met my grandmother. That plan is not very… sane. Or kind."

"Yes, but you missed the point."

"No, I understood you. You missed her."

"Not your grandmother."

"No, not my grandmother," Kuon replied, exasperated. "I understand that too. Are you going to finish?"

"Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you weren't confused," Kuu insisted with an innocent smile, causing his son to sigh.

"Well sorry," Kuon responded in a short tone.

"No, no," Kuu apologized, becoming serious again. "Anyway, I did miss her. Badly enough that I didn't want her to leave again. So, in spite of my parents' bitter protests, I proposed to her at the first opportunity. I'm still surprised that she actually accepted my offer, but apparently she had missed me too."

"Did she know you were a crazy bottomless pit of a human being?" Kuon asked in a teasing tone.

"Yes, yes she did. In spite of my parents' best efforts, I had managed to invite her to a special lunch during the winter and consumed my normal portions. She laughed and said she could never get bored of watching such an incredible disappearing act. My parents were sure she was lying and would be the next one to vanish."

"But she didn't."

"No, and they never did figure out why."

"Did you?"

"Love fills in all kinds of gaps, Kuon."

"Yes, but it didn't actually fill the giant hole in your stomach," Kuon pointed out wickedly.

"Yes, well," Kuu shrugged with a smile, causing them both to chuckle for a moment. Then Kuon became serious again.

"So you knew Mother was the one because you missed her, and she accepted you because she missed you too?"

"Yes. I think it's safe to say that's how it started. We were both used to being sought after, but it was the first time for both of us that we felt like we actually needed to be around the other person."

"And you still feel that way?"

"That and more. It's hard to explain, but having been with her for so long now- no, that isn't right." He paused to consider what he would say next. "I never took interest in very many women and my experience with romantic affairs was small. But from the first time I was privileged to take Juliena's hand, I could feel the difference. The feeling was so powerful."

"What do you mean?"

"How do I say it?" Kuu sighed, struggling to find the right words. "From then, till now, if I'm near her I want to be closer to her. To take her hand. To touch her face. When I hold her, it's just like-"

"Everything is right…" Kuon interrupted with a sigh of his own. Kuu stared at his son, now who was now looking up to the sky, a troubled expression on his face.

"Yes… just like that," he answered, watching Kuon carefully. The Crown Prince let a word slip that his mother would have beat him for using, stood, bowed to his father, and left in silence.

Kuu watched Kuon go, more than a little troubled. If he had to guess what was distressing his son, based on this conversation, Kuon had fallen in love. And if Kuu had to guess the identity of a young lady in the palace that Kuon might actually have feelings for, he could only pick one person.

"Hurry home Julie… I can't do this alone."

* * *

_And there you have it, chapter 17. More angst in 4,000 words than you can shake a stick at. Sorry, I didn't mean for it to be so... depressing. I think..._

_For any of you who care, Will was been released from her imprisonment, a third party (our friend Violet), having pleaded Will's case and extracted a promise from her that Will will not be touching the romance jar. And I needed her for editing, but that bout of randomness aside..._

_Thanks to everyone who has continued to review this story. I hope that I can continue to give you a good story and that you will continue to put up with my unreliable updating schedule. Thanks for advice, encouragement, and ideas. Will thanks those who petitioned for her release (quietly, from her corner, but sincerely). I was a little concerned after the last chapter that my writing has gotten confusing. I'm not sure why so many people were absolutely convinced that Reino magically knew everything about Kyoko's past and that she was actually an illegitimate child, but apparently they forgot her history from the first chapter. Hopefully, this chapter made things clear. Maybe. Possibly.  
_


	18. Social Season

_Chapter eighteen for all those of you have patiently (and not so patiently) waited. Enjoy. _

* * *

Maria was getting better.

This was a good thing, mostly because it meant her friends and family could stop worrying about her. Lory had been in constant correspondence with his son during her illness, and was glad to finally be able to send Kuoki good news. His son's letters had fully conveyed an anxious panic over Maria's condition, and Lory knew that Kuoki was completely distraught by the circumstances. Lory had wished that his son would come down to see Maria, but he also knew that Kuoki was not emotionally recovered enough from his wife's death to sit at his daughter's sickbed.

Instead, Lory reassured Kuoki exactly how carefully Maria was being watched over by Miss Kyoko, and by the time that Maria had recovered, Kuoki had developed a worshipful respect for the young lady.

"I think my son is very impressed with you," Lory told Kyoko one afternoon as she brought Maria lunch. "I've told him about all that you've done for his daughter, and he sends his sincere thanks." She gave him a weak smile.

"I'm sure you've exaggerated my contributions," Kyoko insisted, stepping ahead of the Duke into Maria's room and moving over to the bed. He made a derisive snort, but lost her attention as she moved to take care of her charge. The young girl greeted her happily.

"Kyoko, do I have to stay in bed?" Maria asked for the dozenth time that day. Kyoko nodded.

"If you're feeling well again tomorrow, I've talked to your grandfather about letting you move about some more. But you're still tired."

"I'm fine!" Maria insist grumpily, turning a pouting face to the Duke. "Grandpapa, can't I get out of bed? I promise I won't get sick again." Lory grinned at her and shook his head.

"Miss Kyoko says you should stay in bed, so in bed you will stay. But, I have something for you."

"You do?" she asked, excited. Lory came over and handed her a letter.

"From your father," he told her. "He said to give it to you once you were feeling better. Don't worry, I haven't read it."

Maria smiled to acknowledge her grandfather's joke, but immediately opened the missive and began to scan it. By the time she reached the end, she was frowning.

"Papa is really worried, isn't he?" she asked quietly.

"He has been, yes. But if you ask nicely, I'm sure Miss Kyoko will let you write a letter back to him, even if you do have to stay in bed today. You can tell him yourself that you are feeling better."

Maria enjoyed this suggestion and Kyoko went to get everything her charge would need for the task. The Duke followed her, bidding his granddaughter farewell until later. Before he left the room entirely, however, he stopped once more.

"Miss Kyoko." She looked up at him from the desk where she was grabbing some paper.

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"Thank you," he told her, his sincerity expressed clearly and unmistakably over his features. "You've taken very good care of my granddaughter, especially these past couple of weeks. If there is anything that I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask."

Kyoko stared at him.

"Your Grace, thank you very much. But I really don't need anything. As long as I have work, I can take care of myself."

"Miss Kyoko, will you remember something for me?"

"Of course, Your Grace," she responded.

"You aren't alone," he told her seriously, holding her gaze. "Don't ever forget that you aren't alone here. If there is anything that any of us can do for you, just tell us. Their Majesties and myself are both very indebted to you. So please, don't hesitate to rely on us. We're here to serve you too," he told her with a small smile.

Kyoko hesitated for a moment, her voice caught in her throat. If there was any time to confess her misdeeds, now would be it. To tell him everything, about her father, about her stepmother, about the ball, about the Prince. Now, before things got out of hand. Before she lost control.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Panic seized her and she started trembling slightly. Her jaw snapped shut and she shook her head.

"If I don't have anything, is that bad?" Her face was swimming in pain and Lory found that he did not have the courage to respond. "I really don't have anything I _need_. If you can't help me, is that so bad?" Her anguish was paralyzing. He knew she was hiding something, but probing this wound right now would be too painful for both of them. He could not find the will to continue to hurt her.

"It… isn't bad, Miss Kyoko. You aren't a bad person for not wanting to burden others." She seemed to relax slightly, as if a large weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "But if there is anything that you need, please let us know."

"Thank you, Your Grace. If there is anything I- I will let you know," she promised softly. Lory waited at the door for another minute, watching her carefully, wondering worriedly.

"You don't ever need to hesitate, Miss Kyoko," he repeated. "We will help you."

"I understand, Your Grace. I won't forget."

"Very well." And with that he left.

Kyoko took a moment to regain her composure before heading back to Maria. The younger girl's excitement at being able to write her father again was contagious and Kyoko had soon recovered from her anxiousness. They passed the rest of the day comfortably.

Juliena returned a few days after Kuu had spoken to his son in the garden, and was worried when instead of receiving her normal overly childish and affectionate greeting from her husband, he had greeted her with a tired smile and a small kiss on her fingers. He only ate half his normal portions at dinner that night and Juliena decided that an intervention was needed. When they had finished eating, Juliena had swept her husband away to speak with him elsewhere, bidding a brief goodnight to her son.

"Kuu, whats wrong?" she asked the moment they were alone in their personal study. The king helped his wife to sit, then took a seat next to her, taking her hand as he considered what to say. "Did something happen while I was gone?" Juliena prompted.

"I spoke with Kuon," he told her. He hesitated for a moment, sighing. "I think… he's developed feelings for Miss Kyoko." Juliena was instantly alert.

"Tell me everything," she demanded. Kuu carefully recounted his conversation with his son while his wife listened intently, worrying her lip as the story moved on.

"I haven't seen the two of them together since we spoke," Kuu told her. "But I'm worried. I think he has been avoiding her."

"Do you know what she's thinking?" Juliena asked. Kuu shook his head.

"She's been with Maria constantly. I've seen her from time to time when I've been asked to watch Maria, but we haven't spoken. Miss Kyoko seems much the same as ever."

"We'll need to keep an eye on them," Juliena told him, standing to pace the room. "Especially once things get back to normal. We'll need to see if anything has changed. If he does care for her…" She stopped her pacing and looked back to her husband in anguish. He stood and pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head.

"It would be wonderful," he whispered, gently stroking her hair. "And terrible." Juliena nodded.

"He should be happy Kuu. He's our son. Can't we make him happy?"

"He's the only person that can do that," Kuu told her.

"But we have to be able to do something. He's our child!"

"I'll talk to Lory," Kuu promised. "I know he's still looking into Miss Kyoko's past. Maybe we're missing something…"

Juliena snorted in disbelief and her husband thumbed away a stray tear.

It became obvious to the monarchs very quickly that whatever Kyoko's feelings were, she and Kuon had pushed each other back. Their gracious behavior worried the king and queen, but there was nothing that anyone could do. Maria's recovery had the added benefit of reinstating the girl as a safe barrier between Kuon and Kyoko. They had been unable to avoid each other completely during Maria's illness, and had adopted a manner towards each other where they were both perfectly polite if a little distance. They never argued and Kyoko in particular never said a single word out of line. With Maria's return, they could avoid each other, even while being in the same conversation.

It was incredibly painful to watch.

Yukihito, for all that he had not said much about Miss Kyoko, had noticed how much time Kuon was spending with the young women before Maria's illness. Having completely subscribed to the Duke's idea that only true love would be able to save the Crown Prince and truly make him a good king, Yukihito had paid special attention to Kuon's interactions with Kyoko. He noticed as well the sudden change in their behaviors and worried what might have been the cause.

He also worried that whatever had ruined their relationship would reflect in Kuon's work. But instead of falling back into his degenerate habits, Kuon seemed to be coming to Yukihito for more work, even than he was actually responsible for.

"Do you have anything else that you need help with?" Kuon asked one afternoon, surprising Yukihito as he worked over some bills for the previous evening's supper.

"I have some things that need to be sorted," he told the Prince cautiously. "But nothing that I need you to do."

"It isn't a problem," Kuon told him, stepping forward to pick up the pile of papers Yukihito had nodded to a moment ago. "I might as well do something to help."

"Since you've taken to avoiding all the young ladies who came to visit," Yukihito suggested. "Some of them got hopeful, you know, when you talked to them before."

"Maria was ill," Kuon retorted. "She still isn't fully recovered. And flirting isn't nearly as fun when you're worried about people."

"Not that you seemed to enjoy it much anyway," Yukihito prodded, pushing some papers into alignment and glancing at the prince briefly. Kuon was staring at him.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?" the Prince demanded in a cool tone. Yukihito shrugged.

"You used to like it more, I think. I've known you for a long time, Prince. It seemed like you were forcing yourself to talk to those girls, and that you weren't very interested." Kuon looked away, his fist clenched slightly. "You know, you don't have to pick a bride right now."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kuon asked, forcing himself to relax, giving Yukihito his most gentlemanly smile. His aide shivered, but shook his head.

"If you don't want to marry any of them, Kuon, no one is going to make you. You still have time. Your parents are young and healthy, and so are you. Besides, if you rush things and pick a bad queen, then what will you do?" Kuon sighed.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, grabbing the papers off the desk and flipping through them. "Do you need these by a particular time?"

"No. And you don't have to help. You can go and talk to the young men that are visiting too, you know. I think Master Kijima arrived yesterday."

"He did," Kuon acknowledged. "But the problem with seeking out Hidehito is the pack of females that invariably follows him. I'm trying to avoid the young ladies so as not to, err, encourage false hopes."

"Then why don't you go and sit with Maria?" Yukihito suggested mildly. "She's probably at her studies and you can work on that while you visit." Kuon hesitated.

"No. I wouldn't want to distract her. I'm sure Miss Kyoko is having enough trouble keeping her still without my interference. I'll just take these and head back to my study. You should have them back tonight."

Yukihito watched the Prince for a moment before sighing. "Alright. But you really don't need to be doing this."

"I thought you were worried about me skipping work? Now you don't want me to?" Kuon teased.

"Just don't exhaust yourself," his friend grumbled. Kuon nodded an agreement and left. Yukihito sighed again and rubbed his temples. He hated being the source of excuses for Kuon. If the boy was having trouble with Miss Kyoko, he should deal with it head on instead of avoiding it. But trouble with Kyoko would probably not be solved that easily. How could he convince the Prince that he was taking the wrong course of action?

Kyoko would have disagreed with Yukihito had she known his thoughts. Kuon's distance was comforting as she tried to sort through the myriad of emotions that tumbled about inside. If Kyoko could have explained the feeling in her heart when Kuon had spoken to her for the first time after "the incident," she might have been able to recover from it. He was not cruel, mean, or arrogant in any way. But she could sense the distance he had put between them from the first word he spoke to the last.

"Miss Kyoko, is Maria awake?" His tone was polite, but indifferent.

"Yes, Your Highness. Would you like to see her?"

"Yes please, Miss Kyoko."

"Of course, Your Highness."

She had matched his manner perfectly, not offended, not angry. Just hurting, in a way that she could not describe or fathom. She did her best to hide her discomfort around the Prince from her charge, but she was exhausted by her efforts and it was not too long until Maria noticed that _something_ was amiss.

"Kyoko, are you alright?" Maria asked the morning after she had written her letter to her father. She had woken to find Kyoko sitting over her, a dim look on her face.

"I'm fine Maria. How are you doing?"

"I feel like I've been sleeping for a very long time. Do I get to leave my bed today?"

"Yes, you're looking much better. Are you thirsty?"

"Yes." Kyoko fetched a cup of water and handed it to her. Maria watched her caretaker worriedly. "Are you sure you're alright? You look… sick."

"I'm not sick Maria. I haven't gone to bed yet because I've been watching you. But I'll sleep in my own bed tonight, and then I'll be all better."

She stroked the younger girl's hair and smiled reassuringly. Maria accepted this answer and finished her water. Then she slipped out of bed and asked Kyoko what dress she should wear that day.

The next morning came, and Kyoko did return to her own room to sleep, but the look on her face had not improved as much as Maria had hoped it would. Kyoko tried to reassure her by telling Maria now that she was recovering both of them would have to fix their sleep schedules before they would feel all the way better.

"But I'll be fine. Don't worry. I won't get sick and I'm just fine right now," Kyoko promised.

"Alright," Maria had sighed.

Kyoko was glad no one had told Maria that it had only been a few days before that Takenori had finally cleared her for work again. He still felt that Kyoko was rather wan, but stated that as long as she was careful, he had no proper reason to keep her from working. If she felt ill at all in the near future, though, she was to come straight back to him.

She hoped that no one noticed she had not felt well in long time. She might just have to get used to this dizzy and nauseated feeling that sat in her stomach. She had the impression it was willing to follow her through the rest of her life.

Meanwhile, Lory worried about everyone. He worried about Their Majesties, who were not as lively as they should be to entertain the winter guests. He worried about Yukihito who looked like he was taking the blame for all of the work Kuon was doing. He worried about Maria, who would soon realize the distance that had grown between two of her favorite people while she was ill. And he worried for Kuon and Kyoko, who were so forcefully good and cheerful, it made him sick.

Life eventually metered itself out and returned mostly to its usual patterns. The weather was continuing in its cold ways and Lory was still worried about Maria, so most days the girls took walks instead of riding, and the walks now took place inside the palace instead of in the gardens. Kuon went with them frequently, but they were often joined by other people as well. The number of people in the palace had greatly increased over the time that Maria had been ill and she was putting her newly developed manners to the test. She socialized with the guests that they met and tried to do credit to her tutor.

She passed with flying colors and made Kyoko very proud.

Maria was also too busy connect very quickly the difference in Kyoko's and Kuon's behavior towards each other and Kyoko's exhaustion. Often Kuon would fall back to walk next to Kyoko when Maria began speaking to someone new, but they were both silent, staring straight ahead.

But Maria did eventually notice.

"Kyoko, did something happen? Are you mad at Prince Kuon again?"

"Angry? No. Why should I be?"

"I don't know. But you seem to be upset with him. Did something happen while I was sick?"

_Yes._ "No, nothing important. I expect he's just being more careful since we have so many more people in the palace now. I'm still just part of the staff here and he's trying as hard as you are to be a responsible adult."

"Adults don't talk to you?" Maria asked incredulously.

"No, not really. Not unless they have a job for me to do. Remember Maria, servants are supposed to stay out of the way as much as possible."

"But... you're different."

"Not that different. I'm still just hired help, Maria. And once you and His Grace leave, I'll go back to working in the kitchen all the time. It's better if I don't stand out too much."

"But… you'll be coming back with us, won't you? I wanted you to meet Papa and go riding with me. We have a beautiful lake, and I'll bet it has lots of fairies." She looked hopefully up at Kyoko.

"Maria, your grandfather hasn't asked me to come with you when you leave," Kyoko admitted sadly. Maria was devastated.

"But… you have to come! You're the only person I can trust!"

"Thank you, Maria. But you can trust your father, can't you? And your grandfather?"

"Yes," she muttered.

"And you wouldn't disgrace me by misbehaving for your new teachers, would you? You would use everything I taught you to put them in their place, politely, and make sure you still learned everything you are supposed to."

"Yes," Maria grumbled, still discontent.

"So, since I'm going to be staying here, I really should try and keep out of everyone's way and not attract any attention," Kyoko stated. Maria grumbled something incoherent. "What?"

"No, nothing."

In reality, Maria thought that any number of the ladies at court could learn a lesson or two from Kyoko's manners and behavior. Even at the tender age of ten, she knew better than to hang on a man the way so many of the girls now arriving clung to Kuon.

It was disgusting.

And it was also part of the reason Kuon had not given up his walks with the girls, in spite of his desire to distance himself from Kyoko. Maria was still an object of fear for many of the young women currently haunting the palace. Whenever he was in her presence, he could be assured that no one would be trailing after him.

Kyoko had nothing to say about these visiting females. She knew their type and she was not impressed or intimidated in any way. They reminded her of the other servant girls, always huddling in groups and whispering about their handsome prince. It was enough to make Kyoko wish she were back at home with Kanae and Chiori, where such silly and unprincipled fantasies where crushed with a pleasurable brutality.

And then, thinking about them, Kyoko would miss her sisters more than she could have imagined. She had only lived a tiny fraction of the remainder of her life away from her old home, but she missed it more and more each day, especially as she realized how few people here she had to talk to. They had not always gotten along brilliantly, but Kyoko could remember with fondness a number of conversations she and her sisters had had over the years that they had lived together. She wished she could see them now. Perhaps their aggressive opinions could beat out of her this listless aching that seemed to be eating her from the inside out.

In spite of their pain, anxiousness, and sorrow, Kyoko, the Takaradas, Yukihito, and the royal family managed to continue their lives peacefully as the season came into full swing. Things might even have gone on pleasantly if one particular guest had not arrived at the palace. Kyoko really should have known that his family would be coming down for the season, since they always did. And she should have known that she would see him anywhere that an unwary female might be wandering. That did not make her any happier to see Shotaro Fuwa again.

She first ran into him while she was in the middle of an errand. Maria was busy writing a letter to her father and Kyoko decided to step out for a bit to check up on some repair work she had asked to be done in Maria's room later that evening. Shotaro was flirting shamelessly with a couple of young ladies who were visiting the palace for the first time. They were impressed by his manner, his dress, and his confidence. Watching his brazen behavior, Kyoko wondered what she could have ever seen in him. Prince Kuon was much more-

_No. Don't go there._

She managed to escape without catching his attention at that moment, taking a detour down a different corridor, but his presence would haunt her for weeks to come, and would prove to almost undo her on several occasions.

The first horrific event could have been harmless if a single other female had been in the hallway at that precise moment. It was during an evening walk and Maria was chatting happily between Kyoko and the Prince. Shotaro came around the corner suddenly and Kyoko tensed, looking away from him instinctively.

Kuon noticed this with no small degree of concern. He might have been trying to push himself away from her, but that did not make him less aware of Kyoko's every move. Her reaction to this… boy had been immediate and unhappy. What had he-

_Stop it. It's none of your business. Let it go, let her go…_

He might have managed this if Shotaro had not halted suddenly, staring intently at Kyoko. Maria stopped in the middle of her sentence to glare at him. She had taken an instant dislike to this boy several days earlier when she had met him for the first time with a young lady on each arm.

"What do you want?" the young girl demanded, all manners forgotten faced with this creature. Kyoko had no heart to scold her. She was trying not to pale or blush under his scrutiny.

"Have I met you?" he asked Kyoko as he continued to stare at her, ignoring her companions.

"I think that you would remember if you had, sir," she answered quietly, not quite meeting his gaze. He stepped closer, a frown forming as he stared at her. Kuon tensed, forcing himself not to step between them. Shotaro scrutinized her for a moment before smiling critically.

"Heh, you're right. Never mind." He strode off, casting an irritated look at Kuon. The Prince ignored him, still focused on Kyoko.

"Good riddance," Maria huffed, catching Kuon's attention.

"Maria, even if you don't like him, that is the most important time to be polite to him," Kuon reminded her gently, worried at the pale cast that had come over Kyoko's face once Shotaro had left. "Right?" he asked her, trying to reclaim her from whatever world was frightening her.

Kyoko looked up at him and blinked, then shook her head.

"I'm sorry. Yes, His Highness really is right Maria. You should try your best to be polite at all times."

"But he's disgusting," Maria objected bitterly. Kuon smiled.

"I know, but you can't really afford to make enemies out of anyone that you might need help from in the future," Kyoko reminded her patiently, if in a somewhat strained voice.

"I'd rather die than ask _him_ for help." Kyoko smiled, but flicked Maria's nose in a reprimand.

"You barely know him, so you can't say that. Besides, he'll inherit his family's property someday and he will be important in that respect, even if he isn't very respectable. Having a polite relationship means that you can also have some control over the things that he does," Kyoko pointed out, fully in teaching mode. Maria humphed.

"He's still a bad man," she muttered. Kyoko's eyes grew distant again.

"Yes, yes he is," she murmured, her voice catching slightly.

Kuon felt his blood boil.

* * *

_And end of chapter. We have on the scene at last, the infamous Fuwa Sho. What new brands of trouble could he possibly cause?_

_Thanks to everyone who has reviewed. Your predictions, compliments, suggestions, and rants are greatly appreciated. Will is grateful as well, to everyone that has taken an interest in her well being. We're still busy and doing the best that we can. Hopefully, updates will speed up a little. Maybe.  
_


	19. History

_Sorry for the extremely long wait. Here is chapter nineteen. Enjoy._

* * *

The second moderately traumatic incident that Kyoko suffered because of Shotaro Fuwa did not actually involve his physical presence, but it was difficult for her.

Maria had been falling asleep at her studies, a rare occurrence, but one that had worried Kyoko in light of Maria's illness. She had put the younger girl down for a nap and had gone off to find someplace quite to relax herself.

Winter was in full swing and the night before there had been a storm. There was a thick layer of snow over the palace and the grounds. Most people were using the cold and wet as an excuse to stay indoors and socialize. Kyoko decided it would be best to take refuge outside, away from all the people.

Unfortunately for her, Prince Kuon had had the same idea. She nearly ran right into him as she trudged out behind the palace, staring at the ground, following a kindly ice fairy that was helping her by pointing out the safest places to put her feet.

"Careful," he chuckled as he caught her shoulders before she actually crashed into him. She was startled and took a careless step backwards. She slipped and would have fallen if it had not been for his grip on her. The ice fairy giggled and made a quick escape, finding some friends to watch the couple from a distance.

"Oh, Your Highness," Kyoko gasped. "I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going. I didn't mean to bother you. I'll just be on my way-"

"Walk with me?" he asked, interrupting her. Kyoko stared up at him in shock.

"Your Highness?" Kuon had surprised himself with the request, but he did not feel like avoiding her today. And with just the two of them outside, it could not hurt.

"Just for a little while. Since you're already out here and it wouldn't be fair of me to chase you away," he told her, searching for any other excuses he might need to use to convince her to stay.

"That is kind of you, Your Highness, but I was just about to head back-"

"You just got out here and were not about to do any such thing," he countered. "Do you really have that little faith in me?" She shook her head vigorously.

"It isn't that I don't trust you, Highness. I just… I'm not sure that you would want to be on the wrong end of any talk from… less trusting people."

"I appreciate the concern, but if anyone can see through the solid wall around the palace, I would be very surprised. Unless you think anyone else would actually come out here." Kuon turned and waited for her to step up beside him. She did and they began to walk slowly, taking careful steps on the snow covered ground.

"Lady Erika might come out," Kyoko commented absently. "If she knew you had gone walking, Highness," she suggested with a pitying smile. Kuon let out a small groan.

"Yes, she would. Which is why I had Yukihito tell her I had gone into town. On business."

"In this weather?" Kyoko asked. "She didn't actually believe him, did she?"

"I wouldn't put it past her," Kuon shrugged, earning a searching look from Kyoko.

"You dislike her so much?"

"You ask that as though it were an actual question," he stated, mildly surprised. She frowned and he sighed. "I don't hate her, but I can't say I'm attracted to women that _drape_ themselves over me at every possible moment. I would have offered you my arm, for instance, on this little adventure, but I am trying to rest it for when she clings to it later tonight."

"I can't say that it would have been appropriate for me to accept you arm, Highness, so maybe she did you a favor."

"Hardly," he breathed as he looked down at his companion. She repressed a flush and tried to change the subject.

"Well, she isn't any worse than Lady Mimori, Highness." Kuon shuddered and Kyoko was fairly certain it was not from the cold.

"I'll be glad when summer comes around again," he admitted as they moved along.

"If they leave," she replied, not quite able to keep the teasing out of her tone.

"_Don't_ say that. Please, just don't say that." Kyoko giggled and then scolded herself. She was not here to entertain this man. She was trying to distract him and look for an exit, an escape.

"Of course, Your Highness."

"I didn't mean that as an order," he told her as he noticed her pulling back.

"I know, Your Highness." There was an awkward pause as they continued to walk. Eventually Kuon grew tired of the silence and decided to ask a question that had been bothering him greatly for the past few days.

"When did you meet the younger Fuwa?"

"Highness?" She hoped he didn't notice the tremble in her voice.

"Shotaro, the Fuwa's only son. When did you first meet him?"

"I was in the entrance hall when his party arrived here, Your Highness."

"And that isn't actually the answer to my question, Miss Kyoko," he countered, giving her a chillingly bright smile. Kyoko repressed a recoil, but immediately retracted her lie.

"I- I met him before I came here, back where I worked before. Your Highness."

"And what did he do that troubled you so much?" Kuon pressed, watching her carefully out of the corner of his eye.

"He didn't do anything, Highness," Kuon's look, dark and disbelieving made her tremble slightly. His anger, not hidden this time by his gentlemanly smile, was incredibly frightening. "That is, nothing unexpected really."

"_What_ did he do?" Kyoko felt a barely contained rage in Kuon's words and wondered what she could have possibly said to incite this.

"I-it wasn't him, Highness. It was my fault. I was silly, and…" she trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

"You were in love with him." She looked up, startled by his suggestion. The rage was still there on his face, but she could tell that it had quieted some. He seemed more sad now, than angry.

"I thought I was," she corrected primly. "I was unbelievably stupid, Highness, and I thought that he was the most wonderful person on the face of the earth. I thought I was so special because he would actually talk to me. I thought that maybe he cared about me."

"He lied to you?"

"Never, Highness. I was the stupid one. He never said he loved me. He never made me any promises. He never even suggested that there was _anything_ between us."

"Then what did he do? And don't tell me it was nothing. You're afraid of him, Miss Kyoko. Maria might not have noticed, but you were scared when he saw you."

Kyoko hesitated, unable to tell him the truth. She could not being herself to admit her past, and without that, she could not explain what had passed between her and the arrogant noble.

Unless… unless she told the right parts. If she did this carefully, she might even be able to distract the Prince, and ensure that he never took an interest in her again. She might be able to push him away.

"He befriended me, Highness," she started, drifting into a time and place she had almost completely forgotten. "He talked with me like a normal person and listened to me when I spoke. He laughed at the funny things I said and teased me. He'd stop and talk to me if I was the only one around. If there were other people nearby but he could manage it, he'd stand by my side…" She noticed the uneasy look that had crossed onto Kuon's face. "I thought that it meant something." She finished with a shrug.

"But it didn't?" Kuon asked in a quiet voice.

"One day he looked at me and told me he didn't want anything to do with the kind of girl who knew how to sweep a floor. And I knew that it was him and his own pride speaking, and not his parents or his title. That was that."

Kuon did not know much about Shotaro, but from what he had gathered from the guests, the boy did prefer to conduct his affairs among the noble and wealthy young women of society. That he had paid attention to Kyoko at all seemed a bit strange. But this was Kyoko after all.

"Was he aware of your feelings?"

"I think so, since he did end up confronting me. But he didn't do anything wrong."

"He knew about your feelings and led you on, and you say he didn't do anything?" Kuon growled. "How much have you deluded yourself into believing this is your fault?"

"It is my fault," Kyoko replied calmly. "I was too silly to notice all the other things that he was doing when he wasn't next to me. To him, I was easily replaceable, and there wasn't anything that I had that he couldn't get elsewhere."

Kuon stopped dead in his tracks, staring at her. She realized suddenly how he could have taken what she had just said. She was referring to her fortune and her father's lands, but he had probably assumed…

"Is that how little you trust me?" His voice was tight and Kyoko was stunned.

"What, no! I didn't mean-"

"The comparison you've been making is obvious Miss Kyoko, but I really thought that, in spite of all my faults, I had given you a better impression of me."

"No, that isn't- I never-"

"Well, since Fuwa and I are obviously so much alike-"

"I didn't say that!" She bit her lip to calm herself, trying to get the conversation back under control. "I've never thought… you were never like… I don't-" she pressed her hand to her face to fight the threatening tears, "I don't think you're like him."

She heard him let out a long sigh and looked up to see that he seemed calmer, if still a bit upset.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten angry," he apologized, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I'm just confused. It seems like you're trying to tell me something, and I don't think I'm getting the right message. I can see how the situations are so much the same. But what did I do?" Kyoko shifted out from under his hand.

"Nothing. You haven't done anything. Your Highness-"

"Can you please just tell me what you're thinking? Without all the added wordiness to make it nice and polite," Kuon pleaded, his patience pushed to its limit.

"I can't," she murmured. "That's all that I have left that I can do for you, Highness. You haven't lied to me and you have been nice and you've treated me fairly. And I believe you really mean it. But you said it yourself; being on the wrong end of the gossip hurts. And you're trying to make yourself into better person. I'm just… getting in the way of that. Being polite is all that I can do for you." She paused for a moment. "And you were the first one to pull back." The accusation made Kuon flinch, but he could not tell her the truth of why he had distanced himself.

"Do you hate me for that?" he asked regretfully. Kyoko shook her head.

"No, I don't hate you. I don't even dislike you. I understand. And I wish… if things had been different…" Kuon's breath caught and Kyoko realized her mouth was getting away with her. "I mean, before I came here, I thought of all men, especially nobles, like Shotaro. But because I met you, I don't think that way anymore. I know people are better than that, and they can improve themselves. If things had been different, I couldn't have learned that so…" It all came out in a rush, and Kuon had to know what she had actually been about to say just then.

"If things had been different how?" he questioned.

"If, if my father hadn't died."

"Your father is dead?" Kuon asked, wondering what else he could learn if he could tread carefully enough. Kyoko nodded.

"Both of my parents, actually. My mother died when I was very young and my father passed away when I was older. That's most of the reason that I ended up coming out here. I didn't have a home anymore," she said, her voice a touch wistful.

"Miss Kyoko-" He reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently, but she pulled it back and smiled, shaking her head.

"I'm alright, Your Highness," she told him, trying to ignore the warm feeling on her fingers. "In any event, coming to the palace was a good thing. I'm glad that I did. But I do need to get back inside now." Kuon saw that the conversation was over and was disappointed, but knew that he would not get anything else out of her.

"Of course. Then, we'll turn around." He offered her his arm and she looked at it with trepidation. "Just till we get out of the snow. So you don't fall."

"Thank you, Highness." Kuon held back a cringe as she returned to her stiffly polite tone, but accepted it as the terms for his generosity. He pulled her as close to his side as he could when she slipped her arm through his and ignored her small gasp of surprise. They started off in silence, but Kuon could not bear it for very long.

"Was it surprising that he didn't recognize you?"

"Who? Oh, Shotaro. No. I- I don't look much like I did then. And I expect that the new dresses and the exalted company confused him." She said it with a light tone, but Kuon could tell that something was bothering her.

"Why do you call him just Shotaro?" he asked, suddenly confused by this fact. Kyoko stumbled and Kuon steadied her, concerned by her reaction.

"I- I hadn't realized that I did," she admitted quietly. "I guess… I just don't respect him very much. Oh dear."

"Has he caused you trouble?" Kuon asked, hoping to uncover whatever Kyoko seemed to be hiding about their relationship.

"Never directly," she told him. "But I really should fix that bad habit. If he realizes we've met before…"

"Are you worried? I doubt he'll say anything, even if he does figure it out. It wouldn't benefit him in any way, and from what people have said, I don't think he goes out of his way to do anything that doesn't benefit him. Or are you worried he'll bother you?" Kuon asked, suddenly concerned.

"Not particularly. If he wasn't interested in me before, he has no reason to be now. But… it would be uncomfortable if he did remember me. If he did say anything, I might get into trouble, Your Highness."

"I can't see any reason for that," Kuon disagreed. "The staff here trusts you. They don't have any reason to believe his word over yours, even if he does mention anything." Kyoko was quiet for a minute.

"I… left that life behind me, Highness. Even if I didn't get in trouble for anything that I've done, the person that I was then, she doesn't exist anymore. I don't need her intruding on my life here. It would only cause problems." Kuon frowned.

"I don't understand. You said before that you can't use your family name anymore, but if both of your parents are dead how does that work? Especially with Fuwa?"

"It isn't anything that happened with… Master Shotaro. The problem with him is the fact that he did know me. The situation I was in then… it wouldn't reflect well on me," she admitted.

"Were you a bad worker?" Kuon asked, confused. "I don't see that."

"It was… my employer. She was never very fond of me, and she was glad when she was finally able to get rid of me."

"You didn't get along with her?" He had a hard time believing this.

"It was more an issue of her not having any use for me. She had her own things to take care of, and I really wasn't helping."

"That… makes no sense," Kuon declared, confused how anyone could not find any use for a girl as hardworking as Kyoko.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. But that is how it was. I just couldn't live up to her expectations. It was better for me to leave."

"Selfish, ignorant woman," Kuon growled under his breath.

"I really earned it, Highness."

"That's ridiculous," he countered.

"I'm sorry you don't believe me, but it's the truth."

"I'll believe that you did something she didn't like. But after hearing the way you told the story about that Fuwa boy, I won't believe you deserved to be thrown out for whatever crime she made up for you."

"I didn't say I was thrown out, Highness."

"You didn't have to."

Kyoko decided it was better to hold her peace rather than risk anymore of his questions. They were almost back to the palace now, and they would soon be parting ways.

So she let herself concentrate on the warm feeling of him standing beside her. But only, she told herself, because it helped her ignore the cold.

King Kuu sat behind his desk, staring at an incredibly long list and trying to commit it to memory as his wife sat beside him and stroked his hair. Seated in front of him, each holding a copy of the same list, were the Duke and Yukihito.

"So many people this year," Kuu grumbled as the names shifted out of focus again.

"Well, they're hoping, since there was no wedding announcement after the ball, to make a second good impression," Yukihito stated as he shifted the paper to write a name on an envelope. "And some of them are coming because with so many other people visiting the palace for the first time in years, it's a good opportunity for them to arrange marriages for their other children, Your Majesty."

Kuu sighed and his wife patted his hand understandingly.

The party was reviewing the guest list for the grand feast that was held each year in heart of winter. Invitations were always sent to all the noble families, but most years only less than half responded. This year looked to bring at least twice as many people, if not more. Yukihito was preparing replies for all those who had accepted the invitation and were wondering where they would be staying. Kuu was trying to put names to faces he had not seen in years.

"Oh no," he groaned suddenly as he reached the last portion of the list.

"What is it?" Juliena asked, leaning over her husband's arm.

"Saena Mogami is coming this year," he griped as he pointed out the name, with two others listed under it in small print.

"That creature," his wife hissed, surprising Yukihito, who had twitched at the mention of the name "Mogami." He had never heard the queen use that particular tone before. "What on earth is she doing, coming here? Didn't we see enough of her at the ball?"

"You didn't speak to her," Kuu reminded his wife bitterly. "You left that joyful task to me."

"Yes, well that still doesn't explain-"

"I believe Yukihito mentioned that many families were coming out to see all the people that were finally coming out of the woodwork and marrying off remaining offspring," Lory interrupted. "I would hardly put it past the widowed Countess to be coming for that exact reason."

"Yes, well," Juliena snipped with disdain.

"Is there… something wrong with Lady Mogami?" Yukihito asked nervously.

"I think you share Kuon's fortune of never having met my mother-in-law," Kuu stated. Yukihito nodded. "She was a monster, and a horror of a woman. Lady Mogami makes me want to forgive her and make statues in her honor."

"She's that bad?"

"Worse. She even makes my own darling wife shriek with disgust," he said, taking Juliena's hand with a teasing smile. The queen calmed down a little and stuck her tongue out at her husband. Lory and Yukihito ignored the exchange. They were long inured to it. "But in all seriousness, Saena Mogami is not a nice woman. Her first marriage was a stepping stone in her mind, if you ever had the misfortune to hear her speak of it. She had two daughters by her first husband, you see them listed as guests as well, but she was counting down the days until he died. He was already fairly old when they became engaged, and most people think he lived as long as he did after his marriage to spite his wife. She remarried a number of years later to the Count Mogami, and I've always pitied the man."

"He was very much in love with his first wife," Lory interjected. "I saw him a few times here at court, but we never spoke much. He was dedicated to his lands and spent most of his time at his estates, far up north. I think he was working with his tenants to improve the agriculture of the region and make winter famines less problematic. I thought he was a good sort of man, and I hear that he loved his daughter very much. But she technically couldn't inherit his property on her own, so he remarried but died before he produced an heir. His daughter holds all the lands for her husband now, I believe."

"If she were still around," Juliena commented spitefully. "From the few people I've kept in contact from around their estates, she's dead now. People say she never really recovered after her father's death and if _I_ had to live with a woman like her stepmother, I'm not sure I would survive the experience."

"She's dead?" Yukihito asked in surprise. "Why hasn't it been reported? She's a noble."

"Probably census loopholes," Lory interjected. "You already know this, but deaths technically only have to be recorded in the official census, and there won't be one again until next year. Nobles usually notify the crown as a courtesy and invite others to the funeral, but Lady Saena is cheap enough, I imagine she would rather just not pay the postage."

"Or host a funeral," Juliena added. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.

Yukihito decided against saying anything else. He was sorry to hear that the young girl he had met only so many months before had passed away. She had seemed like an extraordinary woman. But given the conditions she had been living in, he could not say he was very surprised.

He would not, of course, mention this to the Prince. That would not be a good idea.

"So Saena holds the lands now?" Kuu asked.

"I suppose so," Lory responded dryly.

"Then she has a fair inheritance for her daughters," Juliena sighed. "And she probably thinks it will help her marry them off."

"If they don't kill all their potential suitors," Yukihito retorted, stepping back into the conversation.

"What do you mean?" the queen asked.

"I don't suppose you saw them at the ball?"

"Not really," she answered. "I was rather caught up with other things."

"Like keeping the older Kijima at arm's length," Kuu growled. "It's no wonder where his son gets it."

"Yes, yes," his wife brushed him off. "But what about the girls?"

"They scared off all the young men within the first hour," Yukihito told them. "Lady Mogami kept dragging over other young men to dance, but all of them ran at the first chance. They weren't very excited when the Prince and I came to visit either." Lory chuckled.

"Looks like they're a burden to their mother," he cackled.

"She deserves it," Juliena stated decidedly.

The others nodded in agreement, but then went back to going over the list.

Miles away in a cold and heartless bookroom, the burdensome daughter Kanae stood in front of a tall bookshelf staring, impressed, at a number of carefully labeled volumes lined up neatly on the shelves. The dark grey books were completely uniform, the labels on the spines being dates, beginning several years before Kanae had been born.

A small creak outside the door made Kanae jump, spinning around to make sure no one had caught her. Technically, there was no room in the house that her mother had banned her from, but if Saena found her in here there would be problems. Kaena's dreams of running her own life and her own land had become, if possible, even more of a taboo subject since Kyoko had been thrown out of the house. If her mother caught Kanae in her step-father's study, there would be a reckoning. And the reckoning would most likely involve their upcoming trip to the capital for the winter feast. The trip was already going to be miserable since their mother had made plans to delay the trip so that they would have to spend fewer days in a inn, and elongate the trip due to inclement weather. In the mix, Kanae was unsure how much money they were supposedly saving, but did not want to imagine how many ways her mother could find to cut costs by making Kanae personally more uncomfortable.

When she was certain that no one was entering, Kanae stepped up to the shelf and removed the earliest volume, opening it as softly as she could.

As she had expected, it was exactly what she wanted.

She pulled all of the following volumes off the shelf and stacked them on a side table, carefully, in order, and within easy reach of the nearest chair. Then she dragged another table over to the other side of the chair to use for her finished books.

Kanae settled down in to the chair and started flipping through the pages of the first book quickly, her sharp mind absorbing the information the on the pages effortlessly. Saena hated this particular gift her daughter had, but that was most likely because Kanae had been using it to intentionally disobey her mother for years. Kanae was not allowed to read books and accounts on maintaining lands, understanding weather, or improving agriculture. But her interests and her will, along with her ability to memorize a book by scanning it, had allowed her to collect data from various venues. Her favorite place before now had been the palace library. When her mother had been scouring the court for a new husband they had resided in the palace, though they had not stayed very long. But Kanae had used her time as best she could and had learned much in spite of her then imperfect memorization. There were so many books to practice on.

But these records kept by Count Eiji Mogami were a brand new treasure trove. Kanae had heard his tenants speak of his ingenious and diligent work over his land, and how things had only gotten worse and worse after his death. Her first glimpse of the first page had shown her how detailed his notes were. He had meant to take his findings to the capital when he had finished his research. With such perfect notes, Kanae could learn his methods. And because her mother had no interest in helping the tenants, Kanae could take the task upon herself. At least until Kyoko came back-

Kanae shook her head violently just as Chiori slipped in to the room, closing the door softly. The younger sister tiptoed over, keeping a cautious eye on the door and earning a bemused look from her older sibling. Chiori grimaced and simply walked over to a free chair, plopping down into it and eying the pile of books.

"You know, Mother is going to kill you if she sees you reading those," she mentioned quietly. Kanae shrugged.

"I know. But she's busy bossing around that poor idiot we hired to clean to notice that either of us is missing," she replied just as quietly.

"She always got like this in the winter. Kyoko was good about handling her-" Chiori cut off suddenly, exchanging a significant glance with her sister. There was a pause. "Do you still think she'll come back?"

"She will," Kanae stated. "She feels too responsible for this place. She will come back. At the very latest when Mother dies. She'll have no reason to stay away then. Or if she falls in love…"

"That doesn't seem very likely," Chiori commented. "If she were around people that she could reasonably marry, they would have sent her back here by now."

"Probably," Kanae agreed. "She didn't have anyone that she was close enough to that she could go to them for help. So if she's still alive…"

"She has to be. She's too smart to get herself killed," Chiori insisted. Kanae nodded determinedly, refusing to believe otherwise.

"We haven't heard from her since she left, but-"

"She couldn't send a letter without Mother knowing. Or without the tenants finding out."

"Why are we keeping this from them again?" Kanae demanded. "They would help us. If we had appealed to the Crown, they would have had to help us. They would have found her, punished Mother-"

"Which is why we didn't tell," Chiori pointed out. "Kyoko always wanted to deal with Mother her own way, and we never felt like we should get involved. She left without asking for help and we didn't offer any. And now, if we tried to tell people what we had let happen…"

"They would turn on us," Kanae sighed. "The Crown would think it was suspicious that we had kept the secret for so long, long enough for her to die and for the land to be left to Mother. And if we're trying to get rid of Mother and will need a living of our own-"

"We look as greedy as the infamous Saena Mogami," Chiori finished. "Her flesh and blood. They'll accuse us of trying to kill each other next."

"And we still don't know where Kyoko is. We have no idea what direction she left in. We don't even know if she's still in the country."

"We're really pathetic sisters, aren't we?" Chiori sighed. Kanae nodded and there was another silence.

"You know, it didn't matter when she was here. She was just a part of things. An expectation. But now that she's gone…"

"Something's missing," Chiori suggested. "It wasn't just the chores. She was just always happy."

"It was so obnoxious," Kanae growled. "Her stupid smiles, and always trying to please that hag, never getting angry at us, always saying we would make all our dreams come true, never worried about herself. But," an small smile formed on Kanae's lips, "you couldn't help but believe her. She had this way making magic seem real."

"Like wishes really came true," Chiori added softly. The girl's sat in quiet contemplation for a moment before both seemed to come to their senses. Kanae shifted her book and straightened in her chair.

"Well, I need to get these read before we leave."

"And I can always cause trouble and distract Mother so you can finish. See you again at supper?"

"At supper," Kanae agreed before delving back into her books. Chiori smiled, watching her sister for a moment, before slipping quietly back out the way she had come.

* * *

_And end chapter nineteen. Hope that you all enjoyed it. I am very sorry for all of the delays. I don't know that things will get better anytime soon, but I will do the best that I can. Will and I thank you all for all the comments, suggestions, jokes, and commendations. It's fun to read everything that you have to say, and we're glad that you are enjoying the work. We will keep trying our best to give you quality fanfics to read. Thanks again._


	20. Quality of Lady

_And here is chapter twenty._

* * *

Kuon wanted to scream. If this female creature did not release him soon he was going to do her a serious harm. Completely on accident of course.

"Lady Erika, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid our conversation will have to wait. I'm needed at the indoor training courts just now and it is very likely I'll be flailed alive if I'm late."

"Oh. You're going to train? I'll join you. I've always wanted to see you fence. I'm sure it will be a real treat. I understand you can fence on par with the fencing master here. I'm sure it's _riveting_."

"_I'm going to be sick. If she opens her mouth even once more, I'm going to be viciously sick."_ "I think you'll be disappointed then. I'm not actually going for my own training. I've been asked to help some students with their practice."

"Oh, I'm sure it will be just as amusing to watch you teaching. You must do so well with the boys."

"Actually, this is a special assignment I've had since the fall," Kuon corrected flexing slightly in an attempt to free himself, which backfired as the creature on his limb smiled happily. He continued his explanation to rectify this error. "Duke Takarada's granddaughter was told that she was to learn fencing, and I was asked to help to make things easier for her."

"Duke Takarada's- You mean, Miss Maria," The vice-like grip on his arm eased.

"Yes. I'll be spending the rest of the morning in her company. I'm sure that I explained this to you yesterday, when I said I was busy. While she is here at court, I'm mostly at her disposal. This is just one of the things I've been asked to do."

"Oh," The evil fingers released him and he shook his arm out slightly. "Well, then I suppose I'll see you at supper." She left him with a cheery smile and a predatory look that he could only find threatening. But he would deal with that later. Now if he could just make it to the practice courts without running into Lady Mimori…

"You made it!" Ryutaro greeted him when he entered the room a few minutes later. "And without any unwanted hangers-on. Miss Maria, you are a truly magical charm."

"Hello Prince. Are you okay?" Maria greeted him with enthusiasm.

"I'm fine. She was hanging on my left arm, so I think I can still lift a sword."

"Good, because Kyoko is going to utterly trounce you one of these days and I don't want you giving her any lame excuses like dead weight females," Ryutaro said as he handed Kuon a weapon and jerked a finger in Kyoko's direction. "Now, run her through the drills really quickly and see how long she can keep up with you in a spar today."

"Yessir," Kuon saluted him and wandered over to Kyoko. "Ready?"

"Yes, Highness."

"Alright, lets begin."

Kyoko had learned a fair amount over the several months that she had been practicing, but the truth was she was not quite ready to beat Kuon. She wanted to, and if she tried hard she could get through a sparring match without being corrected in any of her movements. But there was still a distance between her and the Crown Prince. He reassured her it was experience and practice, and that she was doing very well, but Kyoko was not satisfied.

"I will defeat you," she told him, hunched over and panting after their last match. "I'll do it."

"I look forward to it," he countered, reaching over and tugging her hair. She batted his hand away, earning a chuckle from him, and she smiled in return before stiffening and turning away. This was the last place where she felt she could honestly interact with the Prince and she was glad for it. She did not want to complicate that.

Practice wrapped up and Ryutaro congratulated both girls. In general he was a terse man, but these two hard working females had earned a soft spot in his heart and he was proud of them. Maria was diligent and Kyoko never complained.

He would be sad when spring came and Maria would head back home.

Kuon was more worried about the fact that practice was over right now.

"I don't suppose you could use an extra body in the room while you work on your studies?" he asked Maria mournfully. She giggled.

"But Lady Erika will miss you terribly," she teased.

"I already told her I am at your beck and call as long as you are here. If you simply cannot sit and read a book without my diligent eye one you, then I am prepared to give up my entire afternoon for your benefit."

"Oh alright. Prince Kuon, would you please sit with me this afternoon while I do my studies? I simply can't survive them if you won't be there."

"I'll gladly lend you my services, my lady." He swept her a deep bow and gave her a wicked smile, causing her to giggle again.

"Only if he'll lend me a hand first," Ryutaro interrupted. Kuon raised and eyebrow in inquiry.

"You need something?" he asked, straightening. The swordmaster smiled.

"A favor. You've been avoiding socializing, so you wouldn't know, but a number of the young men who've come have been showing off in here. And I have one that I would appreciate you… dealing with."

"Well, now that I'm warmed up, I'm sure I could assist you. If Miss Maria is willing to wait a few hours, I can join her later."

"We'll expect you," Maria told him, smiling happily. "You take care of all the little boys here."

"Are you sure Miss Kyoko has been teaching you properly? That doesn't seem like a very ladylike comment," Kuon teased.

"Your Highness!" Kyoko gasped, turning white and stiffening. Maria giggled once before noticing that her retainer was not indignant, but terrified. The younger girl was instantly penitent.

"It isn't Kyoko's fault. She's a very good teacher," she informed Kuon defensively. The Prince threw up his hands.

"I apologize. I shouldn't have maligned Miss Kyoko," he told his audience. "Forgive me?" he asked her, his face shining with apologetic innocence. Kyoko relaxed slightly, and nodded.

"We should go," Maria noted, pointing at a few young men who were now entering the room.

"You should," Kuon agreed. "I'll see you as soon as I finish here. I'll still need a good excuse to avoid other unwanted guests."

"And you'll of course apologize to Lady Erika later? For avoiding her," Maria suggested sweetly.

"Of course," Kuon replied with only a brief flinch. "I wouldn't want to seem backwards in my attention to my parents' guests."

"But you shouldn't apologize to Lady Mimori," she said darkly, a bitter frown now on her face.

"Why not?" Kuon was curious. He hardly tolerated Mimori better than Erika, but that did not explain the bitingly angry look that was stuck on Maria's face. Worried over the younger girl, he missed the similar look that had appeared on Kyoko's face.

It was as plain as the high held nose on her face that Lady Erika Koenji was determined to marry the Prince. She considered herself the most beautiful girl in the realm and was certain that her fair looks perfectly matched those of the royal family. No one would be better suited than her to the Crown Princess. And people had not looked twice when Lady Mimori Nanokura had followed in the same footsteps. She was simple and silly enough to think she could impress the Prince.

But Kyoko's third unfortunate event involving Shotaro Fuwa had also involved Lady Nanokura, and had been a very distressing experience for Maria.

_Kyoko had been taking a short break with Maria, walking down some random corridor, when the two girls had heard an obnoxious giggle from a secluded corner. Deeming this to be a rendezvous that would not be appropriate to have Maria see, Kyoko prepared to lead the now curious child away._

"_Oh Sho," the voice giggled again. No question, Kyoko definitely did not want to be here. "Why does there have to be such a stupid prince?"_

_Kyoko managed to cover Maria's mouth before the girl could voice an objection, but had to use all her strength to keep the child in place._

"_The stupid prince doesn't matter, Mimori" Shotaro's voice reassured the girl._

"_But I don't want to marry the stupid prince, like Mama and Papa say. I want to be with Sho!"_

"_Who said you can't have both, silly puppy?" Kyoko felt sick and was even harder pressed to restrain Maria._

"_Both? You mean, I can still see you? Even after I marry the stupid prince?"_

"_Of course." There was a happy sigh, and Kyoko decided it was far past time for her and Maria to leave.  
_

_It took great effort, but Kyoko managed to pull Maria far enough away that the girl ceased struggling. When they had walked even further from the disgusting couple Maria finally turned on the older girl._

"_Why didn't you let me say something?" she demanded hotly._

"_It wouldn't have helped. Prince Kuon isn't going to marry Lady Mimori, and you would have only caused a scene and got yourself into trouble. And that would have troubled your grandfather."_

"_But she was saying-"_

_"The inappropriate behavior of some other young lady does not permit a true gentlewoman to behave in an equally inappropriate fashion, Maria."_

_"But they were treating him like- like- like..."  
_

"_I know," Kyoko growled. "Both of them were disgusting. They were absolutely horrible and Kuon deserves to be treated better than that." Maria was awed by the force of the anger that was coming off of Kyoko. Her fury was horrifying and beautiful all at once, a dark and shadowy aura, almost like an incapacitating weight. Maria had not known that Kyoko could look, could be, like this. "They should just leave and go live their own happy lives and leave him out of this. They should take their trash and just get out!"_

_She seemed to come to herself suddenly and shook her head._

"_Kyoko?"_

"_I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gotten angry like that. It's just what I told you not to do." Maria nodded to show her comprehension. "But I do understand. I don't like them very much either. But the last thing we want to do is repeat what they said, especially in front of the Prince. And if you got in trouble, he would find out why and learn what they said about him."_

"_You're right. I'm sorry," Maria apologized, hanging her head.  
_

"_It's alright. Just remember that in the future. I know it's hard to not say anything, so just do your best to be nice to him instead. It won't undo what they say, but it will be nice for him. And I'll do my best as well, to not say anything foolish and unnecessary." Maria gave Kyoko a questioning look, but nodded.  
_

"_Alright."_

All of that was in the past and now Maria was doing her best. She smiled at Kuon and told him she was trying to be better about not getting angry at people that annoyed her, but sometimes all of it bottled up. He accepted her explanation and Kyoko breathed a sigh of relief at the averted crisis. Then she excused them both and the girls left.

They made it out just in time. Not a minute after they had exited, Shotaro himself arrived. Kuon knew without asking that it was this particular young man that Ryutaro wanted him to deal with. All the other men in the room tightened, some casting unhappy glares in Shotaro's direction. He met everyone's glance with an arrogant smirk, which only disappeared for a moment when he spotted the Prince. Then he sauntered forward to confront his newest opponent.

"Prince Kuon," he stated, somehow turning the greeting into an insult. "I don't think we've been formally introduced."

"We haven't, but I've heard of you. You're Shotaro Fuwa." Kuon extended a hand and Shotaro took it, giving an oppressive squeeze as he shook. Kuon matched the gesture, but it was quickly apparent that the Prince's strength was superior. Shotaro retrieved his hand.

"I am, but I don't go by my full name. Call me Sho."

"That is a valid request, Shotaro, but I'm afraid we aren't friends. I'm sure you'll understand." Sho clenched his teeth but nodded.

"So, are you here to join us today? Master Ryutaro seems to think we could all use a lesson from you."

"Well, I'd be more than happy to school you, if Master Ryutaro finds you lacking. Do you need to warm up, or are you ready now?"

If Sho had any intention of avoiding a confrontation with the Prince, he did not show it. His arrogant smile was back in place and he accepted the challenge breezily, grabbing a practice sword and moving to stretch briefly.

Ryutaro approached Kuon as he waited for his opponent to prepare.

"That was a short conversation. Is there something wrong?" the older man asked, watching the Prince carefully.

"Only if he isn't the person you want me to deal with. He seems to think highly of himself. Has he won many matches?"

"A few," Ryutaro admitted. "All of the ones he's been in. But most of the people here have been average in skill level at best. I would have asked Hidehito to deal with him if I didn't think the boy would get as much of a swelled head as Shotaro over the match. I don't expect you to have too much trouble."

"I never expected any difficulty," Kuon answered stiffly. Ryutaro raised an eyebrow.

"You do realize you look like you're ready to kill him, don't you?" he asked under his breath. Kuon looked over, surprised.

"I- What?"

"It isn't noticeable to anyone else here. But I get to watch you while you have a sword in your hand. You never look like that at any of your other opponents, no matter how much they swear and curse at you. Can you do this?"

"Of course."

"Without killing him," Ryutaro added. Kuon glanced at Sho.

"I can manage."

"You're certain?"

"I won't kill him." His gaze drifted back to his opponent, his eyes hard. "I'll just… deal with him."

Ryutaro gave him a skeptical look, but shrugged. "You get to explain the body to your father. Let's begin."

Kuon and Sho met in the center of the room, facing each other with a matching mildly mocking smiles. Ryutaro called guard and the sword points came up, the competitors eying their opponent carefully, focused and silent.

"Begin."

It was short. Kuon would later admit that Sho had some skill, but it became obvious very quickly that the Prince was the superior fencer. He excelled in his strength, speed, and grace, keeping Shotaro ever at an uncomfortable distance. It seemed effortless, the Prince's steady and unyielding attack. Shotaro quickly became frustrated and began making angry mistakes. Kuon parried a particularly violent thrust, shifted in and caught Sho's sword on his own, twisted, and disarmed his opponent. In an instant, his point was as Sho's throat, pressed gently against the skin.

"Yield," he whispered. Sho gulped and stepped back, but said nothing, his eyes flashing. Kuon's eyes narrowed. "Yield, Shotaro. This is your loss."

The room was tense and silent, a heavy tone weighing down the air. Ryutaro stepped forward and retrieved Sho's fallen sword.

"Yield, boy. You look foolish enough." Sho shot him a glare, but shrugged.

"I yield," he stated, still avoiding Kuon's eyes. A couple of men sniggered in the audience and Sho turned to glare at them. Kuon's point dropped.

"Then we're finished here," he replied mildly, easing the mood before turning to the crowd. "Unless there was anyone else who wanted to cross swords with me."

There was a moment of silence, but a few hands shot up excitedly and Kuon acknowledged them. The new challengers were no more expert than Sho had been, but they were much less interested in defeating their opponent, and much more interested in learning from him. They were enthusiastic and willing to listen to Kuon's advice once their matches had ended. Kuon was patient and understanding, respectfully making suggestions and praising wherever he could. Ryutaro kept an eye on the royal for a while, but eventually relaxed as he became convinced that the boy had recovered from whatever hostility had consumed him. The Prince socialized for a few minutes after his last bout, then excused himself, giving a pitying smile to Sho, who was hiding against a far wall, on his way to the door, and left to change.

Once he had freshened up, Kuon made his way to Maria's rooms, repressing the urge to hum. It should not have been so satisfying to defeat such a foe, but Kuon did feel better for it. He met the girls with a warm smile and asked pleasantly how their afternoon was going. Since Maria was in the middle of a particularly tedious task, she eagerly welcomed the interruption and demanded to know what had happened once they had left.

"Maria," Kyoko scolded, "you need to finish this before His Highness tells us any stories. You promised you would have this done today."

Maria sighed, but turned to apologize to the Prince.

"I'm sorry. Do you mind waiting? Kyoko says we can't celebrate my birthday until I finish some list of things she's supposed to teach me, and I don't want to wait until after the winter feast."

"Your birthday will be soon, won't it?" Kuon asked. "It's the day before the feast, isn't it?"

"Yes. And Kyoko says that I can have a party, but only if I'm caught up on my work. So I have to finish this today."

"Isn't your grandfather in charge of whether you have a party?" Kuon asked in surprise.

"I spoke with His Grace," Kyoko interrupted. "He agreed that my expectations were reasonable, and that the party could be delayed if Maria was not finished on time."

"I'm sure the staff will be so happy to have to prepare for another party," Kuon teased, directing his remark to Maria. She laughed.

"Kyoko says that grandfather agreed to let us prepare the party, which means it will only be as big as _I_ say. And Kyoko promised to help me make anything that I needed for the party, so it won't bother the staff at all."

"Am I invited?" he asked.

"Of course! But you have to wait for the official invitation. I'm going to use the party as practice, Kyoko says, for organizing a formal event."

"Will I have to wear my best clothes?" he pressed, still teasing.

"Only if you'd like to show off," Maria responded. "I think Grandpapa will make me wear a new dress, but Kyoko says she's going to help him design it, so it shouldn't be too grandiose."

"I'll keep that in mind," Kuon promised. He was silent then, as she finished her readings and went over them with Kyoko. Once the girls were done, Maria let out a long sigh, then returned her full attention to the Prince.

"Did you fence with Master Ryutaro?" she asked excitedly. "Did you beat him?" Kuon laughed and shook his head.

"No, I didn't get to fence with the master. Some of our visitors wanted to be able to brag to their friends that they had fenced with the Crown Prince, so I obliged them."

"Did you defeat them all?" she inquired, perched on the edge of her seat.

"Yes, I did." Suddenly, he felt awkward. Like he was bragging. He glanced over at Kyoko, who was ignoring her companions and diligently reading from a large volume propped on her lap. "It helped that I had a very skilled and determined teacher."

"Master Ryutaro is the best," Maria admitted. "Were there any close calls?"

"No, not really." He paused. "My first opponent was the most skilled, but I wouldn't say that he was a particular challenge. I think the nobility have gone soft on their swordcraft. There has not been any real cause for them to develop the skill in recent years."

"Oh," Maria sighed sadly. "Who was your first opponent?" Kuon hesitated.

"Shotaro Fuwa."

Both girls tensed and Maria let out a low hiss.

"At least you beat him," she grumbled.

"Maria-" Kyoko began softly.

"I agree, Miss Maria," Kuon interrupted. "I think it was a very good thing that I beat him. I think he was even a little humiliated by it. He was not a very gracious loser."

"Your Highness, please don't encourage her-" Kyoko tried again.

"You think it was bad that he lost?" Kuon interjected. Kyoko stiffened, but shook her head.

"If he did not have the skill, he should not have won," she replied evenly. "May we please discuss something else?" Her voice was tight now, and Kuon complied, quickly finding a topic to distract Maria. He entertained her for the rest of the afternoon, but kept a close eye on Kyoko, who seemed to be very distracted.

All too soon it was time for supper, which meant misery for both Kuon and Maria as they went to the dining hall. The Duke had insisted that Maria leave the safety of her bedroom in the evenings now that there were enough guests, and that she should sit at the table to at least begin placing names with faces, even if she did not speak very often. So she sat diligently at the end of the long table with the few other young guests, all of whom were several years older than her at least. Kuon endured Lady Erika and Lady Mimori hovering over his every bite and chattering in both of his ears. Maria endured watching Kuon suffer from a distance.

Time passed, and the day of the winter feast drew near. The palace was teeming with people now. Even those who stayed in town in the evenings spent their days in the royal house, conversing, socializing, and flirting. The king and queen were busy, always entertaining guests, and Kuon was busy trying to find as many excuses as he could to avoid everyone. He knew he should be mingling, but the sick and dissatisfied feeling in his gut whenever he spoke to a female other than Kyoko made it hard to enjoy, or even tolerate, social interaction.

The Prince was not the only one unimpressed by the press of people that buzzed about the palace. An entire group of misfits found tiny corners of the palace in which to hide from the masses. This was fortunate for Lory Takarada because it meant that wandering the halls was the perfect opportunity to seek out the more reclusive members of the realm and glean beautiful gossip from them. He prowled the corridors, his keen instinct bringing him to the most fruitful places at just the right times. He even discovered a number of quiet, dissolute romantic affairs, but those were tedious at his age, and even frequently disgusting.

On one such meandering occasion, Lory stumbled upon what could have been the perfect find, and it certainly did improve his day. In a tiny corner of the palace, in an isolated window cove, huddled under a shawl with a number of papers and a plain journal on her lap, sat a young lady with raven black hair, a serious and beautiful face, and a well used quill in her hand. A vial of ink next to her was balanced precariously on a small stack of what looked to be pages of notes, and Lory could see she was deep in thought.

She was also, unless he was very much mistaken, one of Lady Saena's misfit daughters.

He waited until he was sure he would not startle her into smudging anything, or knocking over her vial of ink, and stepped forward, making a grand bow.

"Excuse me, Miss, but I am afraid I do not have the benefit of your acquaintance. I'm Duke Lory Takarada. And you would be?"

Kanae looked him over coolly, not very impressed with what she saw, but knowing what respect was owed to a duke. Especially if the duke was intimately connected to the royal family, as His Grace Takarada was rumored to be.

"Your Grace. I'm Kanae Kotonami, Countess Saena Mogami's oldest daughter."

"You've kept your father's name?" the Duke asked mildly, indicating with his hand if he could take a seat beside her. Kanae nodded carefully, keeping a close eye on the extravagantly dressed older man as he settled his brilliant cape and tugged his silky sleeves.

"I did keep my father's name," Kanae answered. "I had no reason not to."

"Your stepfather was not interested in adopting you?" Lory asked blandly. He kept a close study on her face. This did not seem like a girl who would give much away, and he wanted to glean everything that he could. Lady Saena was also a sneaky woman and little was known about her children. Lory saw no reason not to poke and prod and get information. Kanae eyed him suspiciously, but could not detect any malicious intentions. If this was Duke Takarada, of course he wanted information. Her mother was notoriously tight lipped. Well, Kanae might as well set him straight.

"My step-father would have been happy to adopt me. But it would have complicated things. My step-sister was younger than me, and I knew my mother well enough to know how things would have gone if I had taken my new father's name."

"Lady Saena wanted you to inherit his property?" Lory asked.

"I doubt it," Kanae answered honestly. Lory smiled, refreshed by this frank and honest girl. "But if my mother had had a stronger claim to his land, I doubt that would have made her unhappy."

"But you refused to be adopted?" Kanae nodded.

"I didn't think my step-father would believe my reasons. He was... in awe of my mother, and pitied her at the same time. So I told him that I wanted some ties to my old father. Lord Mogami stood by me and my sister, so Mother had nothing that she could say about it."

"I see. Your step-father was a good man."

"You knew him?" Kanae asked, and Lory noticed that she seemed very interested in this. He shook his head and watched her droop slightly.

"I knew of the Count, but we interacted very little. But I never met anyone who had anything bad to say about him. Except your mother of course," he added with a dry smile that Kanae matched.

"I would imagine. She hated that he never left his land to socialize. But he was a genius," she sighed, glancing down at the papers on her lap and beside her.

"What are you working on?" Lory asked. Kanae smiled again, this time impishly.

"Something I have to hide from my mother. She hates it when I show an interest in real work. But she can't be reasoned with," Kanae explained defensively, and Lory made a noise in agreement. "Mother's let the land go to waste, which is a real pity after all the work Lord Mogami did on it. Since Mother never takes note of the tenant's affairs, I thought I could look over his notes and see if I could help."

"His notes?"

"He kept a perfect record of all his methods for improvements to irrigation and farming, and on how to track weather. The methods themselves aren't perfect, but the notes are very helpful. The tenants just need to get back to where they were in the process, and have someone guide them to where Lord Mogami planned to go. He left notes on that as well."

"But you don't have these with you," Lory commented, looking over her papers carefully and noticing they were all in her hand.

"No," Kanae declared a bit smugly. "The truth is that I don't need them."

"Really? You've perfected his method?" Kanae shook her head.

"No, nothing like that. Not yet. But I read all of his work, so I'm making a plan based off of it."

"Without notes?" Lory pointed out for a second time. Kanae nodded.

"I can memorize books perfectly, even if I've only seen it once, just for a second," she announced rather proudly. Lory raised a brow in interest. That was a gift indeed, and judging by her very thorough plans, not one that had been exaggerated. That or she was making this up from scratch, which was equally impressive.

"Amazing. So you memorized his notes and are working on the plans?"

"Yes. It works out well because Mother is busy trying to be social and doesn't notice that I'm not around, unlike at home. I read the books one day before I left, started planning on the road, and now I'm transcribing all my ideas."

"I'm impressed," Lory admitted, still watching Kanae carefully. He decided to try and confirm the information that the queen had received about the Mogami's actual daughter. "Is there a reason that the Count's daughter isn't helping you?"

Kanae seemed to tense up and her mouth moved wordlessly for a moment. She swallowed, and seemed about to answer when a sharp voice cut through the silence.

"What are you doing over here?" Saena demanded, her eyes blazing as they landed on her daughter. Kanae went from frightened to viciously angry in the blink of an eye.

"Speaking to His Grace," she answered tightly. Saena acknowledged the Duke with a deep curtsy, her face losing some of the intense anger, her tone almost too sweet.

"Duke Takarada, it's an honor."

"I'm sure," he intoned coldly, earning a pleased look from Kanae.

"I'm sorry, but I must take my daughter away now. She is supposed to be with her sister since I could not bring a proper chaperone for them."

"I understand," the Duke replied. He turned to Kanae. "I hope to speak to you again sometime. My son is more of an expert in maintaining lands, but you seem to be a wealth of knowledge. Perhaps you would like to meet him sometime?" He could see the triumphant gleam in Saena's eye as he mercilessly sacrificed Kuoki. But this was important in case he had opportunity to gather more information later.

"I- I'm sure it would be… interesting to meet your son," Kanae conceded, confused by the abrupt turn in the conversation, but clearly interpreting the glance from her mother as an order to accept this invitation.

"Excellent. Until next time then," he promised, standing and striding away. When he had turned the corner, Saena's blissful victorious look returned to fury.

"What did you tell him?" she demanded of her daughter. Kanae stiffened.

"Nothing," she hissed back.

"Then why was he asking about _her_?"

"Ask him yourself," Kanae snapped, earning a slap from her mother. Saena's nostrils flared as she glared down at her miscreant child.

"Gather your things. We return to the inn. We won't be returning here until the feast. You are too dangerous to leave to your own devices. Now hurry. We have to retrieve you sister."

Kanae grumbled a reply as she retrieved her things, holding the few loose pages carefully so that her mother would not suspect she was hiding anything special, but would not notice the contents. When she had finished they left immediately.

Meanwhile, Kyoko sat downstairs in the kitchen and wished there was something that she could do for Kuon and Maria. The winter social season seemed to have moved beyond its novelty and was causing the two no end of misery.

"-will you be available?" a voice broke into her thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, I'm so sorry. I drifted off." The chef's wife smiled at her as Kyoko returned to reality.

"It's alright. I was just asking you if the Duke had told you if you would be available to help with the serving on the night of the winter feast. We can use everyone that can work."

"I haven't asked him about it yet," Kyoko admitted. "I know that Maria will be at the dinner itself, but I'm not sure about after that. I think I will be able to help serve, but I won't be available to help at the assembly after dinner. I'll have to put Maria to bed."

"That would be fine. As long as you can do something. And if they would let you help in the kitchens earlier in the day to help prepare dinner, that would be ideal. You know how my husband is with other people cooking in his kitchen. And there will be lots of outside help with so many guests."

"I'll see what I can manage."

"Thank you," the chef's wife smiled. Kyoko bowed her head politely.

She left not long after, dismissing herself and saying goodnight to everyone. The head chef's wife sighed once she had left the room.

"It really is a pity," she remarked casually. "More than serving the guests, I wish she were eating with them at the table. Is that silly of me?" she asked her husband, over her shoulder.

"She's a lady," he responded, still cleaning up his work area to make early preparations for tomorrow's breakfast. His wife smiled.

"She certainly feels like one."

"Because she is."

"If you say so, dear."

He kept at his work, now silent.

Kanae sat scrunched up on her bed, idly playing with the cover of her journal, flipping it open and closed. After they had retrieved Chiori, Saena had taken the girls back to the inn, just as she had threatened. Kanae had been banished to her room for her careless behavior, and she no longer had the enthusiasm to keep working on her plans.

She was too busy worrying about her missing step-sister.

The door creaked open and Chiori slipped in, carefully balancing a tray.

"Sorry you had to wait so long," she sighed as she eased the door closed. "Mother just went to bed, so I finally can sneak you your supper."

"Thank you, Chiori," Kanae answered, unfolding herself and placing her journal on a stand next to the bed. "Did you have any trouble?"

"Mother is in a bad temper, but she's been taking it out on the inn staff," Chiori informed her, setting the food down next to the journal. "What happened? She refused to say."

"I ran into Duke Takarada. Mother found me speaking to him."

"That doesn't sound like Mother. She loves falling at the feet of the higher nobility. His estates are close to ours, aren't they?"

"Relatively speaking. They are far enough away that he never got to know Kyoko's father. But… he did ask about her."

"He asked about Kyoko?" Chiori asked, jumping onto the bed and giving her sister her full attention.

"Not exactly," Kanae admitted. "When we first started talking, he mentioned Mother, so I asked if he knew Lord Mogami. I was thinking, if he had known our step-father, we might have been able to use him to find Kyoko. But he said that he didn't, and somehow we ended up discussing my plans for helping with the land. Then he asked why the Count's daughter wasn't helping."

"What did you say?" Chiori asked, tense.

"I didn't get to answer. That was when Mother arrived." Chiori whistled.

"No wonder she was angry. What were you going to tell him?" Kanae hesitated.

"I don't know. Part of me just wanted to tell the truth, that we don't know where she is or what's happened to her. But… I couldn't do it."

Both girls were silent. Chiori was the first one to speak.

"Do you think she's alright?" she asked quietly.

"She's alright," Kanae promised. "She's probably busy, but she'll be fine."

"You're right," Chiori agreed, glancing out the window at the late evening traffic below. "She's probably just fine."

* * *

_And things continue to progress. Thanks to all of my readers for their various inputs. You've been a great help and inspiration as I work through this story. Will appreciates all the love you give her as well._

_Special thanks to _gem_ for a very contentious review. Our hopes and prayers remain still with those in Japan, and those elsewhere, who have been affected by the tragedy there.  
_


	21. Feasts and Fumbles

_After a ridiculously long wait, I give you chapter twenty one. Please enjoy._

* * *

Kyoko eventually approached Duke Takarada about her schedule for the day of the feast and about plans for Maria's birthday. Lory was still pouting about the fact that he was not allowed to throw a huge feast for his granddaughter and Kyoko had to step very carefully to avoid his most childish and pitiful whining and pleading.

"Your Grace, Maria only wants to have a small party with her closest friends. She promises to sit at the winter feast and be on her best behavior, but only if you promise not to make an exhibition of her birthday."

"Don't you want to have a grand party?" Lory asked her in a pleading tone, arms outstretched, revealing the glittering glamor of his current attire and making Kyoko repress a sigh.

"I would like to be allowed to celebrate with Maria on her birthday, Your Grace," she told him honestly, "and I would not be able to attend so large an event as one that you planned," she pointed out evenly. He pondered this for a moment.

"Have you ever attended a large party?" he asked slowly. Kyoko paused before she answered.

"I was able to attend the ball earlier this year, for His Highness. I've been… present at other very small social events, but not a real party, Your Grace." She hoped he assumed all her social experience was as a server. She did not like the questioning, probing look in his eyes.

"Well, I suppose a smaller event would be ideal then," he conceded startlingly amiably. "Maria would not be happy if you were excluded, and you are right that you would not be able to participate if my original plans were put into place. We'll just have to do something else."

"Maria and I will do our best," Kyoko said, reemphasizing his lack of responsibility for the project and suspicious that he had not actually said he had given up on any sort of plot. The Duke nodded generously at her.

"You had something else you wanted to ask about?" he asked, obviously trying to distract her. Kyoko let it go. It was impossible to stop him from scheming completely, after all.

"Yes, Your Grace. The Head Chef is wondering if you will be needing me on the day of the winter feast. I know that I am supposed to be watching Maria, but I think they would be very glad to have my help down in the kitchens."

"For the entire day?" he checked.

"That would be best. You already mentioned that I would probably be needed for serving that night, and I have assumed that you were planning on releasing me for the evening until after supper when I would put Maria to bed. But if I could help earlier…"

"If you're needed in the kitchen, you're needed in the kitchen," Lory stated, brushing her explanation aside. "The palace staff have been very good about loaning you out. As long as you put Maria to bed, it will be fine if you are busy are earlier that day. I can ask Kuon to take care of Maria during that time. He'll be more than happy for the excuse to avoid people." Kyoko smiled understandingly.

"Thank you, Your Grace."

"Yes, yes, now off with you," he dismissed her in a pettish manner. "And don't overwork yourself."

Kyoko nodded her assent and disappeared to finalize plans with Maria for the party.

Lory waited until she had been gone for several minutes before he spoke to the supposedly empty room.

"Sebastian..."

"Your Grace," his aide murmured, materializing from one of the corners.

"Did you find anything?" Lory asked casually, idly thumbing one of his quills.

"More of the same inside the palace. The younger Kijima seems to be... enjoying himself. Lady Itsumi Momose seems to have caught his interest, but is proving to be more oblivious than I think he is used to."

"Or perhaps more stubborn?" Lory suggested with a smirk. He had heard good things about the young lady that Hidehito was chasing. She had a good work ethic and set high standards. She had been known to complain rather openly about the Crown Prince's wayward behavior, but had also been rumored to be one of the first to believe that he had improved over the past months. There were other rumors that she would be the next to proffer herself up for the pedestal of princess, but Lory did not expect this. He had spoken to her once, and she seemed to be more focused on doing what she could for her family for the time being. She was a persistent type and would not expect to reach her peak for several more years. "Anything else?"

"Lady Mogami has not left her... residence. Her daughters have also not left. No one in the inn is sure of their movements or their discussions. Most of the staff there is afraid of all three of them."

"I see. Well, that was to be expected. Any clues or hints about Miss Kyoko?" he checked halfheartedly. Sebastian and he had been keeping a special ear out for anything that might guide them to some piece of the truth, but nothing had jumped out immediately, and Lory had little faith that anything would surface now.

"Nothing, Your Grace. One of the northern barons mentioned missing girls in one of his villages, but that was the work of ruffians in the area, and all the young ladies have been returned home."

"Safely?" Lory asked softly.

"For the most part, Your Grace. But Lord Hiroaki has always been a compassionate man, and seems to be dealing with the aftermath with his usual skill. He does seem to be hurt by the events, however."

"I'll speak to him," Lory commented, more to himself than his informant. "I doubt he needs help, he's as good as his father was, but he might want someone to talk to."

"Yes, Your Grace. If there is nothing else..."

"No, that's all for now, Sebastian. Keep a lookout for Saena, though. It's unlikely she will arrive until the feast, but her pride might drag her back before that. And I do want to know what she is up to. If her step-daughter is dead, I would not be surprised to find she had a rather heavy hand in it. And I cannot abide her holding all that land so negligently!"

"As you say, Your Grace."

Elsewhere in the castle, Maria and Kyoko spent the rest of the day happily finishing their formal invitations to their guests. Prince Kuon and his parents were invited, along with Lory, Yukihito, and Ryutaro. After some prodding, Maria addressed an invitation to her father as well, even though she knew he would not be able to attend. By the time he received the invitation, it would be too late for him to begin his journey and arrive in time for the party. But Kyoko insisted that it would make him feel included and Maria complied.

The last little bit of time passed and the day of the birthday party arrived. Maria and Kyoko spent most of their morning in one of the smaller ballrooms, putting up their simple decorations and organizing the table.

"The king and queen have to have the head," Maria stated, as they arranged and placed some carefully folded napkins. "I suppose since it's my birthday, I have to sit next, across from grandfather."

"That would be best this time. We can have His Highness sit next to you, even though he should technically be next to his father. But His Majesty did insist you be honored specially tonight. It was hard to convince him to take the head seat." Maria giggled.

"You must have been very convincing," she prompted and Kyoko smiled at her charge.

"Not at all. I simply requested that he take the head of the table since I was trying to use the experience as a lesson for you, and he should have that spot."

Kyoko did not add Kuu's mumbled complaints about mixing birthday celebrations and tutoring, or Kyoko's own humble apologetic response which actually involved her kneeling at the king's feet, begging for forgiveness, leading to some very interesting questions when the queen walked in and found her husband trying to pry the penitent girl from the floor. Juliena's quick comprehension of the situation and very soothing acceptance of Kyoko's apologies retrieved the frightened miss from her agonies and with a sharp, dictorial glare in her husband's direction, Juliena promised dutifully that she and Kuu would of course take their appropriate place at the table head, as was their duty. And it was wonderful to see Miss Kyoko so diligent in her teaching of Maria. Juliena was _most_ impressed.

No, Kyoko would not inform Maria of that particular horrific experience.

"Well, after Prince Kuon, we'll place Master Ryutaro?" Maria continued, checking with her teacher. Kyoko nodded.

"It's a pity that we are one guest short," she sighed. "We'll have to place Master Yukihito next to the Duke, of course, but that leaves an empty place at the end, across from Master Ryutaro."

Maria looked up in shock.

"But, that's where you're sitting, Kyoko!" The older girl blinked.

"Oh, but I have to serve," she protested logically. "Since we are trying to keep the rest of the staff from having any extra work-"

"I won't do it if you aren't a guest!" Maria declared, folding her arms across her chest and holding her nose in the air. "And if you say you didn't receive an invitation, I'll go and make you one right now!"

"Miss Maria-" Kyoko tried again.

"Not 'Miss' anything," Maria quipped back. "It isn't my party if you won't join it. I don't want it!"

Kyoko hesitated, torn between the warm feeling of joy at being so admired by her young charge, and the nagging rationality that told her it was absurd to expect the royal family to serve themselves. She stared at the table and pondered it carefully, sizing it up and going through a mental list of all the dishes that were kept for formal dinners. Then she smiled.

"We can make it work," she announced surely. "We'll use the smaller set of dinnerware, which also has serving dishes that match. It will have to be one long course instead of the proper several courses, and we'll have to use covers, to keep the food warm. But we can move the centerpiece and have it all fit." She turned to a very confused Maria. "That way we won't need a server," Kyoko explained.

"Oh! And you'll sit with us?" Maris checked.

"Yes. I think it wouldn't be too terrible for me to sit next to Master Yukihito," Kyoko replied simply. Maria dashed forward and grabbed Kyoko in a tight hug.

"Thank you!" she gasped, a stray tear escaping for reasons she could not explain. Kyoko returned the embrace gently.

"Of course, Maria."

After they had finished setting the table, the rest of the day was spent in the kitchen, Maria mostly watching as Kyoko prepared a miniature feast for the guests. The Head Chef cordoned them off in a small corner of the room to work since preparations for the next day's feats were already under way, but the girls did not mind. Maria was allowed to peel some vegetables and stir an occasional pot while Kyoko bustled about, explaining everything that she was doing as she went along. Maria laughed as Kyoko got flour and sauce spots on her face as she prepared the food, and Kyoko retaliated by smearing a particularly dark gravy across Maria's nose. The Head Chef, catching this bit of mischief, shook his head indulgently, a small smile gracing his lips. His wife noticed and teased him.

"Not very ladylike behavior, is it? Should we scold them?" she asked lightly. Her husband shrugged.

"Just as long as they clean up later…" he started, but was distracted by an argument to his left and went to break up an unhappy couple of workers. His wife smiled and looked back to see that Kyoko was now dishing up one of her finished pieces while Maria watched in awe. She was sure they would be just fine.

An hour or so before the party started, the girls escaped the kitchen to clean up and change, Kyoko making arrangements with the chef to retrieve the dishes just before the meal started. While Maria waited in the small ballroom to greet the guests, Kyoko dashed back and forth to finish setting the table before straightening her gown and allowing herself to be greeted by her hostess.

The supper party that evening went well. Maria was a perfect hostess and with all of the visitors to the palace over the last months, the royal family and Maria's other friends were glad for a quiet evening with only their closest acquaintance. No one was bothered by Kyoko's position at the table. She made pleasant conversation with Ryutaro and Yukihito, and even relaxed enough with her companions to smile and laugh her way through the meal. Lory, enjoying an evening with his granddaughter, kept a close eye on her from his place near the head of the table, noting Kyoko's comfort in the fine setting and her unfailing grace. Kuon, when not speaking to Maria or the Duke, kept glancing over at Kyoko, wishing he could share in all of her smiles and laughter. She caught him staring only once, but he could have sworn he saw her cheeks flush with the faintest pink before she turned back to respond to whatever Ryutaro had just said.

Eventually supper finished and the group moved away from the table to sit on the other side of the room, which had been prepared with comfortable chairs arranged in a tight circle where everyone could give Maria a gift and watch her open it.

It was at this point that His Grace revealed his addition to the party. The moment Maria stood up from the table, a fanfare, miniature by the Duke's standard but appropriately loud and raucous, revealed itself and started playing a lively tune. After a moment of stunned silence, Kuon revived the stunned group by offering Maria his arm and volunteering to be her formal escort to her new seat. She accepted his invitation and they both gasped as they stepped away from the table and were showered with tiny bits of multicolored paper and bright thin streamers as they made their way across the room. The rest of the party chuckled and followed behind at a safe distance, Kuu offering his wife his arm and Yukihito graciously proffering his own services to Kyoko. The music continued until the entire group had been seated, then the noise stopped and the party was left on its own again. Maria shook her head, suppressing a giggle.

"Grandfather, you promised," she told him, fighting to keep a serious and scolding tone. Lory made an effusive bow from his seat.

"I couldn't resist," he told her, his eyes twinkling. "It was an impossible request. I did my best though."

"Maybe he'll learn greater restraint by next year," Kuon suggested as he brushed excess streamers from Maria's head, then from his shoulders, and shook his head to dislodge the other bits that had settled in his hair. Most of it came out, but a bright blue piece remained stuck and Kyoko felt her fingers twitching with the desire to remove it. But she sat still, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. "Should we start with the gifts?" he asked mildly.

The group agreed and the gift giving began with the monarchs. Kuu and Juliena gave Maria a long, fairly flat box which she opened to reveal a riding habit, with matching gloves and boots.

"It should be perfect for your northern summer," the queen told Maria as the younger girl admired her new dress. "This way you have something you can wear if you want to go out riding with your father."

Maria thanked her sovereigns and replaced the dress carefully in its box, her fingers brushing the soft fabric one last time before she was handed her next gift. This was from Ryutaro and turned out to be a small belt knife, functional but also delicate and surprisingly appropriate for a very young lady to carry. Yukihito was next, and gave her a book on fables from throughout the realm, which delighted both Maria and Kyoko.

"I was running out of stories to tell you before you went to bed," Kyoko admitted as Maria handed the book over for her mentor to look at. "This should be excellent."

"Thank you, Master Yukihito," Maria smiled as the book was returned to her.

"It was my pleasure," he told her. Lory was next to present his gift. He gave Maria a delicate and elegantly crafted set of jewelry with a sparkling diamond necklace and several bracelets.

"You should be able to wear them tomorrow, at the winter feast," he told her. "Everyone says young ladies shouldn't wear diamonds, but _I_ disagree." Maria giggled.

"What do you think, Kyoko?" she asked prettily. "Is it alright? Do you think Papa would mind?"

"I think your grandfather had them made very nicely," Kyoko admitted, eying the set carefully. "They seem appropriate, even for a young lady. I think your father would accept them."

"He had better," Lory stated. "They were his idea." Maria gasped at this and demanded to know when her father had suggested such a thing. "Oh, it was ages ago," the Duke answered breezily. "He sent me a letter with the suggestions and instructions on how they should look and all sorts of things. He'll be very happy you liked them."

"You should write him a thank you note," Kyoko suggested as Maria stared at the gift lovingly. She could only nod in response.

It was Kyoko's turn next to offer a gift, and she hesitantly presented her charge with a very small package which revealed three handkerchiefs, embroidered in the corner with an elegant monogrammed M sitting on top of three different images. On one handkerchief was an elegant fairy, on another a small horse, and on the third an intricate tiara.

"I'm afraid I'm incurably practical," Kyoko apologized as Maria examined her gift. The truth was her biggest issue had been expense, she simply did not have very much money. The gifts from all of the other guests had intimidated Kyoko. But Maria's solemn face burst suddenly into a bright smile and she jumped out of her chair to hug Kyoko.

"I love them! They're beautiful! Thank you!"

The group smiled at the two girls as Kyoko patted Maria on the back and helped her return to her seat. The gift had been incredibly simple, but it was also clear that it had had special meaning to its receiver.

Once Maria had settled down again it was Kuon's turn to present his gift. He handed over a small package and everyone watched as Maria tore off the wrappings and revealed a charming pair of slippers, designed to perfectly match the gown that she was to wear to supper the next evening. Maria clapped her hands happily and turned to the Prince to give him her most formal and gracious thanks. He returned the gesture with great aplomb and the whole party chuckled at their antics.

"Thank you, everyone," Maria said after she had replaced the slippers and set the gift next to her with the others that she had received. "I hope that you enjoyed the evening."

There was a murmur of affirmation from all sides. Amidst the exchange of formalities and teasing from Kuon and the Duke, Kyoko slipped out of the room and returned a few minutes later with a large tray in her hands. The group, just realizing she had disappeared, gasped in awe as she placed the dish on the table where they had eaten earlier. It held an assortment of small cakes, arranged beautifully around a carefully sculpted marzipan garden. The cakes were topped with tiny fairies of candied sugar in several bright colors, all in various poses. Maria stared at the construction in surprise.

"Kyoko, what-" she couldn't finish the sentence, she was so delighted.

"Your present from the Head Chef," Kyoko told her. "For your good behavior. I helped a little with the cakes," she admitted.

"It's beautiful," Maria breathed. Lory placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled down at her.

"Well," he asked, "are you going to share?" Maria laughed.

"Please, won't you all join me?" she invited. Kyoko helped to serve the group and even Kuon, putting on a brave face, managed a few bites of his small dessert before carefully setting it aside. The group chatted for a little while longer, but it soon Yukihito and Ryutaro excused themselves and the king and queen quickly followed suit. It was not too late yet, but the feast tomorrow was going to last until the early hours, and they wanted to be well rested.

"Well Miss Kyoko," Lory declared happily, "I think Kuon and I will take my granddaughter to bed now. I know you promised to clean up in here, so no complaining. We'll try and get all of her new things put away nicely for you."

"Thank you, Your Grace, but you really don't have to-"

"Miss Kyoko," he said warningly. Her mouth snapped shut. "Good girl. Don't stay up too late cleaning," he instructed with a clap on her shoulder as Kuon retrieved the presents with Maria.

"Yes, Your Grace," she promised. The Prince, Maria, and the Duke left then. While Kyoko took the dishes to the kitchen and cleaned them, Kuon and Lory attempted, rather pathetically, to find the places where Maria's gifts should be stored. Instead of helping, she sat on her bed and laughed as they debated whether she should keep her new knife in one of her drawers or under her pillow. Once everything had finally been put away and Maria had been dressed for bed, nothing would do but for both men to tell her at least three stories a piece before she promised to go to sleep. As such, by the time they had finished with their task, it was rather later than they had hoped. Lory headed straight for bed, but Kuon decided to check on Kyoko since she had not yet returned to her own room.

He found her in the small ballroom, the table completely cleared except for a single small cake on a little plate at one end, and the floors still littered with small streamers and bits of paper. His object was pushing the last of the circle of chairs against the wall as he opened the door and spotted her. As he stood in the doorway, watching, Kyoko picked up a broom and began to sweep the mess into a pile, not upset or downcast. Simply busy, sweeping back and forth, back and forth, back and forth…

She did not notice him and Kuon made no move to get her attention. From time to time she would move a pile that she had made into a small box that seemed to have been brought into the room for the purpose of holding rubbish. This went on for a short time before Kuon heard the watch call the midnight hour. Kyoko paused at her work, sighed, and set the broom aside for a moment. Then she stepped over to the table, still missing the Prince, and picked up the plate with the cake. She stared at it for a moment before sighing again.

"Nineteen years…" she mumbled before smiling sadly and taking a bite out of the small treat. It took Kuon a moment to understand what she had said, and it shocked him as it registered.

"It's your birthday?" he asked incredulously, surprising her and causing her to choke on her bite of cake. He strode over to pat her back gently as she coughed and tried to dislodge whatever she had swallowed incorrectly. When she could finally speak again she started to apologize, gasping.

"Y-Your Highness! I d-didn't realize you were- I'm sorry I just-"

"Miss Kyoko, are you alright?" he asked, stopping her and forcing her to take a breath. She coughed once more and nodded.

"Oh yes, I'm just fine. I just didn't realize-"

"I know," he interrupted again, smiling. "I've been watching you for a while." It was absurdly delightful to watch her color slightly at that statement, just as she had earlier that evening. "Is it your birthday?" he asked again.

Kyoko hesitated.

"I- yes, Highness. Today is my birthday," she admitted quietly.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he demanded.

"Who would I tell, Highness?" she asked pointedly. Kuon frowned.

"Does Maria know?" he countered. Kyoko shook her head.

"It doesn't matter, Highness. My birthday falls on the winter feast. There wouldn't be any time to celebrate, even among the servants. I'll be far too busy. And I haven't celebrated my birthday in years. I'm not missing anything, Your Highness," she told him calmly. Kuon could not agree, but knew it would be pointless to argue. Trying to convince Kyoko that she deserved to be treated specially was like trying to convince a cow it was a horse and you were going to ride it. Things ended poorly for both parties.

"You'll be here for a while?" he asked, scrambling for a plan and looking at the few things left that needed to be cleaned up.

"For a little longer," she admitted. "Did you need something, Highness?" Kuon shook his head.

"Just… stay here. Until I get back. I won't be long."

He exited the room quickly, almost at a run. Kyoko watched him curiously for a moment before shrugging, eating the rest of her cake, and finishing her sweeping. The table and chairs would be moved tomorrow since this room was closer to the large dining hall and the ballroom that would be used, so she did not have to return the furniture. Once she had collected all the rubbish into her box she arranged everything next to the door so that she could leave as soon as the Prince got back. She hoped he did not take too long.

He did not.

After a minute of waiting the Prince returned, not running but still walking very quickly. He leaned against the doorway for a moment to catch his breath before he noticed Kyoko was watching him and he straightened.

"Here," he said, holding out his hand. "For your birthday, Miss Kyoko."

"Your Highness-"

"It's just a trinket," he told her. "Take it."

Kyoko obediently held out her hands and blinked in surprise when a small blue stone landed in them. It was not really polished in any special way, and it was oddly shaped, chipped all around the edges. It did not seem valuable; just a trinket like the Prince had said. Still, it was kind of him to make the gesture.

"Thank you, Your Highness," she told him softly. "It's… very nice."

Kuon smiled.

"It looks like a blue rock," he retorted. "Don't worry, I know. But here, let me show you something." He held out his hand and she extended hers to hand him back the stone. But instead of taking the object, he took her whole hand and turned her around, stepping up behind her. "It works best when you use the sun, but you can make it work indoors if you have too. Watch, hold out your arm."

He guided her hand, much as he had done in the past when he was helping her with a fencing move, but somehow she was much more uncomfortable just then. He was so close. She tried to focus on the stone instead of him and Kuon smiled at her gasp of shock as he moved her hand so that the stone caught the corner of the glow from one of the torches still alight in the room.

"It changed colors," she whispered delightedly. Kuon let her free her hand and shift the stone on her own, listening to her coo and gasp softly at the different shades that she produced.

"It's magic," he told her, leaning down to whisper in her ear as she continued to play with the light. "Sunlight is even more beautiful, but even in a room like this, you just hold it out and watch the colors, and the stone takes away all your sadness in the magic of the light."

Kyoko giggled softly, pulling her arm in and letting the stone fall from her fingers into her palm. She stroked it once before turning suddenly, causing Kuon to jerk back in surprise. She did not seem to notice though. She was still smiling. He was caught up suddenly by her eyes, glowing gold and sparkling. That sense of recognition struck him again, and while he still could not place the feeling with any specific point in time, he was sure suddenly that he had seen her before. Probably at the ball, but sometime, anytime before her arrival here. That glowing look was too familiar. And too addicting.

"Thank you," she told him, dragging him back to the present. "It's wonderful. Where did you get it?"

Kuon decided it would be best to not tell her that it was a special gift he had gotten from his father years before. She would not like that.

"I've had it for a while. I used to use it all the time, but…" Kyoko watched him worriedly as he trailed off. He noticed her face and shook his head. "It only really works if you believe in magic. And I'm afraid I decided I was too big to believe in magic a long time ago."

It was not quite true. He had continued to use the stone even after he had stopped believing in magic. But he did not need it anymore. For all the sorrow and grief that he faced, his world was much too bright now for him to need that stone. And to give it to her was infinitely more precious to him.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Kuon nodded.

"I'm alright now," he told her. "I want you to have it." She looked like she was going to protest, but she bit her lip and nodded her head. Then she smiled again.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I'll treasure it." Kuon smiled warmly.

"I'm glad," he told her. He expected her to have some sort of polite reply, but she seemed to have been distracted by something above his head.

"Don't move," she told him, stunning him as she reached up and ran her fingers quickly through his hair. She was smiling triumphantly now, a tiny piece of blue paper caught in her fingers. "Got it," she told him. "It's been stuck there since earlier and I kept wanting to grab it."

She seemed to come to herself then and turned pink, stuttering over an apology for ordering him around and behaving so forwardly, but Kuon ignored it. He grabbed her errant hand in his own, studying the tiny piece of paper in her fingers intently. It had bothered her. Since this evening. She had wanted to grab it. From his head.

He looked down at her, his blank face silencing her as she watched him nervously. Kyoko was suddenly aware of the fact that it was only the two of them in this very empty and isolated room late at night, and the look on his face was becoming very much like it had been that time when he had caught her from her fall out of the tree. So focused. Focused on her.

He leaned in and she found she could not pull back, or even close her eyes. It all seemed so… surreal. He was getting so close. But he seemed to almost move past her, and she felt only the lightest touch of his lips on her cheek for the briefest moment before he pulled away again, smiling mildly.

"Thank you," he told her, capturing her gaze with his own. "That was very kind of you."

Kyoko stuttered some sort of reply before Kuon chuckled and released her hand from his own.

"I don't think I will be seeing much of you tomorrow," he told her, switching suddenly to a more formal tone and throwing her, if possible, even more off balance. "Lory informed me that I will be watching Maria for you. Make sure you get to bed soon. You're going to have a long day."

And then he was gone, back out the door and away, leaving a very confused Kyoko behind him with a blue stone in one hand and a scrap of blue paper in the other.

The next day dawned and Kyoko escaped early that morning to the kitchens. While Maria slept in, and was later happily entertained by Kuon, Kyoko bustled around the kitchen, giving commands in place of her reticent superior. The Head Chef would approve her orders with a brief nod to anyone who thought to question her, and things moved along easily. The busy atmosphere was a relief. It meant she did not have to think about what had happened the night before. She did not have the time to be distracted.

Elsewhere in the building, Kuon was working hard on keeping his own focus as he kept an eye on Maria. He worried about the fact that he would not get a chance to talk to Kyoko until the next day. He was not sure if he wanted to apologize for last night or not, though he was not sure he was really sorry enough to apologize for his behavior, but he felt like he needed to see her and make sure she was not upset with him. By noon he had managed to mostly stop worrying, but the concern never completely faded. Later that evening, a very nervous servant informed Kuon it was time for him to get ready, and began her own task of carefully dressing the granddaughter of the Duke. The servant girl had been told all kinds of horrible tales of what could happen to her in this room, but Maria was in a good mood and even proudly displayed her new shoes and jewels to the young woman. Lory eventually arrived to take charge of his grandchild and Maria followed him to the formal grand dining hall.

Even as the Duke was escorting Maria, the kitchen staff was busy making last minute preparations. Once everything was ready downstairs, Kyoko changed from her cooking clothes into the palace's formal uniform and prepared to serve in the grand hall with everyone else. She could collapse in a confused panic later. She was determined that absolutely nothing would go wrong this evening.

In the grand hall, people chatted quietly as they waited for the first course. The king and queen sat at the head of the table, with Lory seated nearby and Kuon squeezed miserably between the two young ladies he had been avoiding all season. The older Fuwas were present, seated nearer the top of the table, but their son was with most of the youth, closer to the middle. Saena was seated with the adults, but not too far from her daughters, who sat near the top of the younger guests. Her daughters, contrary to her desires, were busy ignoring everyone around them, sitting with frowns for people that took too much interest. Maria was at the far end of the table, conversing with the youngest members of the party. She was the absolute youngest at the supper by far, but her months with Kyoko and her previous practice had paid off. She laughed and smiled with her companions and earned a few compliments from Hio Uesugi, Ryutaro's fourteen year old son, for her hard work with his taskmaster father. Those who knew Hio and Ryutaro were impressed and developed a high respect for this angel-like figure sitting among them. And it could not hurt that she was the granddaughter of Duke Takarada, no matter how young she was.

The servants finally entered and dinner began. Lory knew when Kyoko entered the hall because Kuon's face was suddenly fixed on the line of servers that were entering and stayed fastened on her figure as Kyoko walked around the table. Lory watched the young woman as well, impressed as ever by her poise and grace. More than ever before, he was struck with the feeling that she belonged here, at this table. Not holding the large trays that were in her hands.

Kanae and Chiori were glad when the food arrived because it gave them a good reason to continue ignoring everyone. They waited patiently for their dishes and were enthusiastic when their turn to be served finally arrived. But it was with looks of identical shock and horror that they identified Kyoko as she stepped between them and placed her burdens on the table. She had been astonished herself when she realize who she would be serving, but she kept the surprise off of her face. In fact, she showed no recognition at all. Only in her heart did she acknowledge that her perfectly planned evening was now doomed.

Her stepsisters were not as restrained.

"Kyo-" Kanae managed to kick Chiori under the table before she had completely revealed that she knew their server.

"What are you doing here?" the older sister hissed quietly, keeping an eye out to see if anyone had noticed anything amiss around them.

"I'm here to serve you dinner, Miss. If there's anything wrong, I'll be sure to correct it for you," Kyoko responded evenly, giving Kanae a significant look.

"That isn't the problem," her stepsister hissed again.

"I can request to be moved if you require another server," Kyoko responded softly.

"No," both sisters declared in unison.

"We're fine with the arrangements. We're probably keeping you from your work," Kanae added as calmly as she could. "Please, just… continue."

"Thank you, Miss," Kyoko bowed her head and excused herself.

"That was-" Chiori began.

"I know," Kanae growled in an undertone, cutting her off and glancing around again at the people that sat around them. Everyone else was too busy chatting to notice anything amiss.

"But why-" Chiori tried again.

"Chiori, unless you want to cause a fuss and get all of us in trouble, shut up," Kanae commanded her sister quietly but fiercely. Chiori complied, if a bit unhappily.

Kuon's attention had been claimed by Lady Mimori when he had turned his head to follow Kyoko around the table, so he had missed the exchange between sisters, but Lory had managed to catch the entire interaction between the three girls. Where others might only have seen her calm, Lory had detected the slightest awkwardness around Kyoko as she served her two guests. And because he had been paying special attention, he caught the looks exchange between Saena and her daughters afterwards. Saena had glared at them, demanding a silent answer for why they had been talking to one of the servants. Their returning glares had been full of pure malice, with no explanation for their behavior forthcoming.

Lory exchanged a few words with the people on either side of him, but throughout the rest of the meal, he watched the three girls. For all that Saena's daughters were rumored to be very ill tempered girls, they were very polite to Kyoko whenever she came to serve them. In fact, they were kinder to her than any of the people sitting near them.

Lory had the feeling he had found the answer he had been looking for.

Before his death, Count Mogami had been known for a number of eccentricities. He had been very good to his staff, and there were rumors that he had all of his servants' children educated to a certain degree, and had covered the expenses for this himself. If Kyoko had once worked for this man and had been let go by Saena during her infamous purging of expenses, there was the possibility that Kyoko was one of these people. She certainly had been advantageously educated. And she was the kind of person that could earn the respect of anyone, even the antisocial children of Lady Saena Mogami.

It was a saddening thought, but Lory had expected something of the kind. Households out on the fringes of the kingdom sometimes had servant families that had worked in the keeps for generations. It had always been possible that Kyoko had grown up in a household close to the children of the family, and had learned from them. Since Mogami was likely to have encouraged his new daughters to treat the staff with familiarity, they might have become close to Kyoko before she left. It was very reasonable. Kyoko was that kind of girl, and Lory knew it very well. And if she had been removed from the house where her family had worked for generations, she would be the last person to want to admit it. He would confirm his guesses later and consider this a day well spent.

Dinner eventually ended and Kyoko abandoned her serving duties to spirit Maria away from her admirers, praying that no one had noticed her exchange with her stepsisters. Maria told Kyoko that she had had fun, but social events were going to take some getting used to. Kyoko just smiled distractedly and helped her change.

In the meantime, the rest of the guests had stood and been led to the large ballroom. It was not nearly as crowded as it had been that February, but chairs lined the walls again, and the middle of the floor was mostly clear for those who wished to dance. Amidst the music and the wandering servants, offering drinks and small snacks, guests mingled and caught up with each other.

Lory paid his respects to a large number of people he knew were expecting him to drop by and exchange a greeting. He stopped especially for a brief but productive chat with Lord Hiroaki. But he began to move again and his path around the room led him constantly towards two young ladies standing against the far wall, still sending hateful glares at their mother and effectively scaring off everyone else that had thought of approaching them.

Kuon had been captured between Lady Erika and Lady Mimori and was trying valiantly to keep his temper. He was plagued by his two admirers for almost a half hour, earning several sympathetic looks for Hidehito Kijima who was happily engaged in conversation with Lady Itsumi, when suddenly Lady Mogami appeared in front of Kuon and somehow chased to two girls away. He would have been grateful to her, but he sensed there was a purpose to this, and was much less comfortable when she stayed to chat with him.

He had been rejected by her stepdaughter for her hand in marriage. What more could this woman possibly want from him?

As the conversation went on, however, he thought he knew the direction of her thoughts, and suddenly would have given anything to be away from this woman, even if he had to spend the rest of the night in the company of the other two people he could not tolerate any further.

"What is that _monster_ doing standing next to my son, Kuu?" Juliena asked with a huge smiled plastered on her face as she found her husband amidst the crowd, her voice a cold and deadly contrasting whisper to her features.

"I can't be sure," Kuu answered with a similar smile and an equally displeased voice, "but if her extended comments to me earlier on the 'benefits of an older example being able to change the Crown Prince for the better' are any indication, I think that _thing_ has decided what her next social step up in the world will entail."

"She doesn't really think she can _touch_ him, does she?" Juliena's face was starting to show frustration and Kuu could easily appreciate her feelings.

"I don't care what she thinks. Death won't prevent me from keeping her away from my son."

"Hateful woman."

"I know. But we had better get back to our guests. Kuon can hold his own for the evening. From the look on his face, he already has her pinned. He might come out of this a bit harassed, but he'll survive. The last thing we want is to cause a scene over it."

"You're right," Juliena sighed, patting her husband's arm nervously. He gripped her fingers reassuringly and promised to keep an eye on their son, just in case, before Juliena finally left to greet some of their other guests. She smiled kindly as she practically floated over to greet the Fuwas.

Meanwhile, Lory had finally managed to reach his intended targets, and greeted them affably. The younger seemed to be holding back a laugh at his appearance, as grand and audacious as he could make it, and the older greeted him calmly, not showing any sign that she had met him before.

"I hope I'm not completely ruining your ladies' intended solitude by coming over, but I did have something I wanted to ask you," he said by way of introduction, earning a raised brow from Kanae.

"You're free to do as you like, Your Grace," she answered in a civil but cold tone, accepting that he was acknowledging her, but not really interested in pursuing a conversation.

"I'm glad you say so," he replied with a rather wicked smile. "Because I wanted to ask you about the young lady that drew such a reaction from the two of you when she served you earlier this evening." Chiori looked to her sister in a panic and Kanae's manner became completely withdrawn.

"I hope you'll excuse me from rudeness, but I'm afraid that isn't possible. If you'll allow me to be blunt, our mother will kill us. Horribly."

"I don't disbelieve you and can hardly call you rude for being honest. I did not mind last time, if you recall," he pointed out calmly, hoping to reassure the nervous younger sister who looked ready to take drastic measures if he continued in this vein. She kept glancing at the decorative sword on his belt in a rather eerily determined manner. "But, I have a lovely plan. You see, from what tidbits I obligate myself to remember of that creature you have the misfortune to call mother, she is extremely ambitious. Which is probably why she has attached herself to the Prince for the evening. I think she means to… stay by him for many years to come." Both girls gagged at this, glancing at their mother with horror. "If she should turn away from him and notice we are speaking, I hardly think she will care. Especially if I were to drag only one of you away and insist on a private conversation at that table in the back over there. Surely, a woman who thinks she can make the conquest she is after right now could only be overjoyed to see her eldest daughter singled out by an eccentric man with a widowed and wealthy son who, according to the polite but fairly stupid world, should be married again as quickly as he can. I don't expect you to marry Kuoki by the way, you wouldn't suit, but we do need to talk." He watched Kanae's reactions carefully. She seemed to be considering slowly.

"That… is a cunning plan."

"And it would work," he smiled.

"Which is the most disturbing thing about it," Kanae bit her lip and thought for a moment. "Alright. I'll tell you about it. On one condition."

"And what would that be?" Lory asked, impressed by her refusal to be intimidated.

"That you help."

"I can only promise to do my best. I do have constraints over my power," he told her, interested that she wanted… help. "I cannot order your mother to do anything."

"You won't need to. If I tell you the story, and you tell her you know it, she'll do just about anything." It was Lory's turn to raise a brow.

"That is a pretty impressive secret."

"You have no idea," she responded with a sad smile.

"Then shall we go?" Lory offered her his arm and Kanae took it, telling Chiori to find someone to dance with so that Mother would not kill her. The younger girl nodded and stalked off, that determined look on her face again. Saena's daughters continued to impress the Duke. They seemed to be refreshingly audacious. He noticed the young lady on his arm was trying to repress a laugh as her younger sister singled out Shotaro Fuwa and somehow bullied him onto the dance floor.

"Is there something amusing," he asked softly. Kanae snorted.

"If he has any unbruised toes at the end of that dance, it will be a miracle," she responded.

"Your sister is a bad dancer?"

"Oh, no. She just really doesn't like Shotaro."

"And you?" he probed. Her gaze turned hard.

"I've learned to hate him."

Lory digested this as he led Kanae over to the table he had suggested, moving them far away from the other guests. He made an underhanded gesture to a shadow on the wall and Sebastian appeared. A whispered word was enough to establish the dutiful servant as a barrier between Lory and the rest of the room. Yukihito noticed the exchange and gave Lory a curious look as the Duke glanced about the room, so Lory winked and confused the poor man even more. How was he supposed to know what that gesture meant?

"I'm going to assume that you know the young lady who served you earlier this evening," Lory stated as he held a chair for Kanae and gracefully took his own seat. Kanae watched in fascination as Sebastian turned away some hopeful guest from a nearby table, keeping the area around the girl and the Duke clear.

"Yes. She used to live with us," she answered offhandedly, still intrigued by the efficiency and thoroughness the Duke manifested for all his apparent flippancy.

"I figured as much. Miss Kyoko works with my granddaughter currently. She's in charge of her education, and I was sure that any servant who was as educated as she was had to come from an eccentric household, and the Mogami holding is the only one that really qualifies to have trained her so well, at least as the rumors would have one believe. Your mother let her go with the other servants?"

"No. Nothing like that," Kanae admitted with a sigh, returning her full attention to the man in front of her.

"She was closer to you than that? She really is an interesting servant," he prodded mildly.

"Not a servant," Kanae corrected bitterly. "She's our sister." Lory blinked. He had the oddest sensation that the world had just stopped spinning.

"Excuse me?"

"Our stepsister. The one you asked me about last time. She's Lady Kyoko Mogami, keeper of her father's estate and abandoned several months ago by that thing in the corner, flirting with the Prince."

"She's… noble?" Lory kept as calm a facade as he could, but the fact that he had missed this was beyond troubling. He was normally adept at processing new information, but this seemed to be sinking in slowly. Sounds around him slowly began to register again, reminding him that he and his guest were not alone, but he felt perfectly focused on the young lady in front of him.

"Noble blood further back than most people here." Kanae looked over at Lory and was satisfied to see that she had shocked him.

"You're sure?"

"Well, I wasn't there for her birth, but my stepfather called her his until the day he died. And she has his eyes. Pure gold, and more honest than the truth," she stated leaning back in her seat and remembering.

"The well-dressed man who had her eyes," Lory murmured softly. Kanae gave him a confused look and he brushed the comment aside. "Nothing. I apologize. Then Miss… Lady Kyoko is your stepsister?"

"Yes."

"And she was well educated?" Kanae nodded.

"Very well. She fought tooth and nail against my mother when all the servants were let go, she knew them all so well. She was technically put in charge of watching the entire house and grounds, but Mother always could make her do anything. You're right about her father being eccentric. He let Kyoko play wherever she wanted, so she spent most of her free time learning how to take care of her home from top to bottom. That was on top of all her other studies. She was smart enough, but she was also a superior dancer. She didn't get a chance to really learn how to ride herself, but she sat with her father on his rides until his horse just couldn't carry them both anymore."

"She is intelligent. And Yukihito says she is a good dancer. Did she ever learn to fence?"

"No, but she wanted to," Kanae admitted.

"Well, that's one good thing then."

"Your Grace?" she asked, confused again.

"When she first arrived at the palace, Miss Kyoko was assigned work in the kitchen. But since her skill range is so broad, she ended up working all over the place. My granddaughter met her and actually liked her. I won't trouble you will all of the horrible things Maria has done to servants in the past. In any event, I asked Miss Kyoko to take care of my granddaughter while we were here. I can't say that I ended up helping her much, or eased her workload. But in order to help Maria do her lessons, I had Kyoko take some of them with her. So she's been learning how to fence these past months."

"I see. Well that's good. She doesn't normally work in the kitchens, then?"

"Not now. I was planning on taking her back with me to keep helping with Maria, so she wouldn't have gone back to them. But since she is technically still employed here, she tries to help out whenever she can. I can't get her to stop."

"No surprises there." Kanae had a fond smile on her face and Lory relaxed. He was not sure how this had all come about, but it seemed that Kanae was not simply interested in ruining her mother, but had an interest in Kyoko's life as well. That was a good sign.

"I do have one question," Lory said, reclaiming Kanae's attention.

"Yes?"

"I understand who she is, but even given your mother's jealous personality, I can't figure out what she is doing here. My past experience tells me that Saena would do just about anything to avoid scandal. Why on earth is Kyoko working here?" Kanae was smiling sadly again.

"She refused the Crown Prince's marriage proposal and sent my mother into a passion," she confessed scathingly.

"She refused- _Kyoko_ hit the Prince with a glass slipper so hard it broke? On his head?"

"You heard about that?" she asked in surprise.

"Yukihito could barely contain himself when he got back, he thought it was so funny," Lory told her, smiling himself. He could barely keep his laughter in at the irony. Kuon had proposed to Kyoko!

"Well, it would have been more humorous if she hadn't been thrown out of her house for it," Kanae retorted. Lory smiled apologetically.

"You're right. But I am curious still. I didn't think it was possible to throw a landowner out of her own home." Kanae flinched.

"Kyoko… No, Lord Mogami loved his daughter. More than anything. I don't think that Kyoko could ever accept that our mother would never feel the same way. She did whatever Mother said, no matter what it was. Cleaned the whole house, made us new dresses, cooked all the food. When Mother told her to leave, no matter what pieces of paper said that Kyoko owned the land, it was Saena who ruled it. I don't think it even occurred to Kyoko to say no."

"And you did nothing?" Lory pressed. Kanae frowned and met his gaze directly.

"I can give you a million excuses, but it doesn't matter. When she first left, Chiori and I thought she would be right back, apologizing and going back to her normal place in the house. When she did not come back, we debated over who to tell. No one around us who could have done anything was our close friend, or Kyoko's. And we had no idea where she had gone, or if she had even survived the week that we had waited. While we argued more time passed. We tried looking around a bit and seeing if she had moved in with some of her people, but she never showed up, and we couldn't ask too many questions. By the time we felt like we had to contact someone, anyone, she had been gone almost two months. We know our mother's reputation. If we approached anyone then…"

"They would have held you as accomplices," Lory finished for her. "They could still. And you had no idea where to start looking for her, even if you had help."

"Yes," Kanae agreed softly. Lory leaned back in his chair, his fingertips pressed together, his brow furrowed thoughtfully. He did not like seeing anyone abandoned, for any reason. But holding this girl responsible was not going to help Kyoko. And things had to change. Kyoko could not stay here like this. But now there were almost an infinite number of possibilities. If he could only find the best one… "So, is there anything you can do to help?" Kanae prompted. Lory relaxed.

"Since the girl you're talking about is a noble working as a servant in the palace, yes. Since she's the personal tutor of my granddaughter, easily, and without much of a scandal, which will be a good thing for you and for her. Since it's the girl who literally knocked a lot of sense into our wayward prince, I will do it gladly, and mostly likely with the help of the king and queen."

"She can come home?" Kanae asked, almost excitedly. Lory smirked.

"Actually…" Kanae glared at him as he trailed off. "I'm thinking it would not be a good idea to give her back to your mother."

"Then what are you going to do with her?" the stepsister demanded.

"I suppose that depends on how much you trust me," Lory replied blandly. Kanae eyed him suspiciously.

"I'm listening..."

* * *

_And end twenty one. Did you like it?_

_I apologize profusely for the delayed update. Without drowning you in my excuses I can try and explain. I moved sometime last week, and while that in itself did not hamper my schedule, what I thought was me adjusting badly to my new home with ridiculous allergies was actually a horribly incapacitating cold. It took me a full week to realize this and properly medicate myself, but with the combined efforts of Zyrtec and DayQuil I finally got enough of my draft done to send it to Will for editing, to discover that Will was computer-less for the weekend. Oops, bad planning on my part. So, I hope that the extended length and hopefully interesting plot movement were worth the wait. Thanks to all of my patient and diligent reviewers. You deserve a better writer._

_Our prayers are still with Japan and all those who are suffering around the world.  
_


	22. Revelations

_And chapter twenty two, in a much more timely fashion._

* * *

Lory was with the royal family and their aide in the bookroom after the guests had finally dispersed later that evening. The family knew they should be headed to bed, but it was habit to at least discuss their initial impressions of how the evening went while the event was still fresh in their mind. Yukihito was listening sympathetically while the king and queen both complained about Saena's wicked behavior, Kuon sat reclined in a chair with his head propped on his hand, trying to recover from his rather stressful evening, and the Duke sat in his own chair near the Prince, his hand twirling a glass as he waited patiently for Sebastian to return.

Eventually the dutiful aide arrived, proffering a rather thick volume to his master and earning a soft word of thanks from Lory before leaving again. Kuon glanced over for a moment, but lost interest when the Duke was not immediately forthcoming with some joyous explanation for his behavior. It could not be too interesting if the attention seeking Takarada did not volunteer to share.

Contrary to Kuon's thoughts, Lory held a very interesting volume in his hands. He opened it casually however, and idly flipped the pages until his gaze landed on the entry he was looking for. He sighed.

There she was. Kyoko Mogami, listed officially in the birth records for nobles. There was her father and her mother, some tiny details about the birth. Lory blinked as he realized the date that was listed.

Today had been her birthday. And she had celebrated by running around the kitchens and serving her stepsisters at the grand table where she should have been sitting.

"I suppose it isn't really a surprise…" he grumbled softly. This caught the Prince's attention.

"Something wrong?" Kuon asked, eying the book in Lory's hands. "What are you reading?"

"Just some official records," the Duke replied simply, closing the book. Then he grinned. "Did you know that today was Miss Kyoko's birthday?" He had a hard time saying "Miss" as he asked. It left a rather bitter taste in his mouth.

"She told you?" Kuon asked incredulously. "I only found out on accident last night when she was cleaning up, and it didn't seem like she meant to tell anyone."

"She didn't tell me," His Grace admitted. "I have unearthed the information by devious means." Kuon frowned.

"What have you found out?" he demanded. Lory ignored this.

"And how was your evening?" he asked instead, blatantly taunting the Prince.

"I don't know why you're even bothering to ask," Kuon shot back at him. "The only thing you cared about at the party was entertaining the daughter of the fiend that was talking to me. You knew exactly what she was up to, didn't you?"

"Of course. I thought I would help her -and the rest of the guests- by keeping her daughter from scaring too many people."

"I noticed. And so did she. I'm not sure what was more awkward: her suggestions about _our_ possible relationship, or her suggestions about what the two of you might be planning. I can't even picture your son marrying a girl who's Miss Kyoko's age… "

"Kuoki isn't old," Lory corrected primly. "Just not interested in remarrying. And Saena's first husband was much older than she was. I don't think the idea affected her."

"That doesn't surprise me," Kuon grumbled bitterly.

"I wish you had told me that it was her stepdaughter that had rejected you, though," Lory mentioned passively, earning a surprised glare from his companion. "I might have tried to save you if I hadn't been so offended by your secrecy. You even had Yukihito in on it."

"Now you're just being petty," Kuon griped. "I didn't mention it because it wouldn't have helped anything and that girl deserved better than to be the subject of any jokes you would be throwing my way. If Yukihito didn't mention it, he probably had his reasons. I didn't ask him to keep quiet."

"So noble, of both of you. In his case, I imagine he thought she was dead."

"What?" Kuon gasped.

"Your mother mentioned it when we were going over the guest list and the girl's stepfamily was on it, but she wasn't. Apparently Juliena had received some letters during the year that suggested the neighbors to the Mogami estate suspected that Saena's stepdaughter had left this world in a last attempt to escape her stepmother. Yukihito probably thought it had happened not long after you left and did not say anything."

"Well, now I really feel like an idiot," Kuon grumbled into his hand.

"Well, so will the rest of the world, if they ever see her again."

"See her again? She might not be dead?"

"Oh no, she most definitely is not dead. Apparently, her stepmother threw her out of the house."

"Wha-"

"That was the topic I was discussing so carefully with Lady Kanae Kotonami. Ah, Saena's stepdaughters apparently kept their father's name to spare their new sister a struggle for her father's lands. Aren't they something?"

"The girl was thrown out of her house?" Kuon demanded sharply, ignoring this other information.

"I believe that is what I said. Lady Kanae said they haven't known where she was for the past several months. But they finally found her this evening when she was serving dinner here at the palace. Her stepsister said she looked a little different, but there was no way they couldn't recognize her."

"Working here?" Kuon checked. "But who on earth-" And then he stared at the book in Lory's hand and snagged it, glancing at the title before flipping until he had found the page that Lory had been reading earlier. With all the names sorted by birth date, it was not too difficult. Kuon clenched his teeth and slapped his forehead hard with the palm of his hand. His parents and Yukihito looked up to see what was going on.

"Kuon, is something wrong?" his mother asked in a worried tone.

"I'm just the biggest idiot that has ever existed," he grumbled as he massaged his temples. "The biggest, the stupidest- I recognized her from somewhere. Even Yukihito thought she was familiar. What on earth was I thinking?"

"Should you really be beating yourself up?" Kuu protested. "What are you talking about? Can't you explain what's going on?"

"You figured out who Kyoko is?" Yukihito asked Lory, assuming the only "she" Kuon would ever refer to would be Kyoko. "Is that why you were talking to Saena's older daughter?" he continued, connecting more ideas. "You thought she might know something?"

"She did know something," Lory answered calmly. "She and her sister recognized Kyoko when she served them dinner earlier this evening."

"But I can't imagine why the Prince or I would have known-" Yukihito began in confusion. Then his face dawned with realization and horror. "No. Not the stepdaughter?"

"Of course. Who else?" Lory teased him.

"But, she looks so different…"

"I imagine she colored her hair," the Duke supplied. "It would be the easiest way to avoid attention since it isn't a common practice. And apparently it worked wonders. Although I suppose it helped that our wonderful Prince burned any and all memory of her face out of his brain in shame and humiliation."

"Thank you ever so much," Kuon growled in response.

"Wait," Juliena interrupted. "You are not being clear at all. You're telling me that Miss Kyoko, who takes care of Maria, is actually…"

"Lady Kyoko Mogami. Only child of the late Lord Mogami and currently holder of all his lands," the Duke answered. "Whoever marries her will receive them in their entirety, as far as I understand. And she's been working as a kitchen servant and a tutor here at the palace. For months."

"But why would Yukihito recognize her in particular?" Kuu asked. "He would have stopped at her home with Kuon earlier this year since the holding was part of the last group that was at the party, but unless both of them felt particularly bad for her-"

"She's the one with the slipper," Juliena explained softly, taking her husband's hand as her voice trembled. "That's why she's here. She refused to marry Kuon and that odious woman turned Mis- Lady Kyoko out of her own house. Didn't she?" This question was directed at the Duke.

"As far as I can gather, yes." Lory answered.

"I don't believe it," Kuu declared sharply. "There has to be some sort of mistake."

"I sincerely doubt that, Kuu. Lady Kanae earns nothing for falsely declaring Kyoko a noble. And I already told you about my first run in with the young woman in the hallway some weeks ago. Her mother was furious when she found us and I was asking questions about her stepdaughter."

"That doesn't prove anything," the king insisted stubbornly, and Kuon frowned in concern.

"She's the Count's daughter, Your Majesty," Lory stated calmly, emphasizing the fact with his unusual respect towards the sovereign.

"Impossible," Kuu growled, his own hand tightening around his wife's. "She can't have been living here, _this_ _whole time_, and none of us, no one, recognized her, or realized-"

"Father-" Kuon tried to interpose.

"She's a _noble_!" Kuu almost shouted, startling the Prince and Yukihito, and earning a worried look from his wife and long time friend.

"Kuu…" Juliena pleaded, taking his now clenched fist in both her hands. "It's alright-"

"It isn't alright!" he snapped. "She's a noble child in _my_ house working as a servant! There isn't any way to justify that!" He seemed to be staring hard at something that only he could see. Only Lory had recovered his calm. Everyone else watched the king with something teetering between distress and panic.

"Are you finished with your tantrum?" His Grace asked patiently, earning a scathing glare from the king.

"A girl-"

"I know," Lory stopped him before Kuu could begin another tirade. "She is one of your people and she has been working under your very nose, in your very presence, and you didn't have the slightest clue. None of us did. Not me, who's been poking around all this time, not your son who had met and proposed to her," Lory's tone at that point expressed how much significance that particular failing held in his opinion, "and not anyone else here over the winter, who should have met her or her father."

"Shotaro Fuwa," Kuon added quietly from the corner. "He knew her at some point, but when we ran into him in the hall, he had no idea who she was."

"It shouldn't have been possible," Kuu groaned, his head falling into his hands. Juliena brushed her fingers through his hair gently. "Even with how little the Count came down here, to not even know his daughter's name…"

"Is that the nobility's registry?" Juliena asked her son, nodding to the book in his hand. He answered an affirmative. "And I suppose you both checked to see that she was listed?"

"Just where she should be," the Duke answered. He paused for a moment. "Today was her birthday," he added. Juliena's eyes were suddenly moist.

"Oh, why didn't she say anything?" the queen asked helplessly.

"Ever?" the king added. "Lady Kyoko, Lady Kanae, the other stepsister? Why are we only hearing about this now?"

"I can answer for the sisters," Lory responded. "Lady Kanae and her sister originally thought that Lady Kyoko would be coming back. When she did not, they had no one they could turn to and enough time had passed that they knew people would hold them as responsible as their mother, possibly accuse them of some sinister plot. Lady Kanae was not very enthusiastic about revealing what had happened to me, and I can't say that I blame her. I'm still not pleased with how things were handled, but I can't say that I see an easy way that this could have been resolved."

"I suppose that makes sense," Kuu grumbled. "But why Kyoko never said anything…"

"She's a northerner," Lory suggested flippantly. "Trapped up there most winters, they have to be self reliant. They have to be able to handle their own problems. If it's hard, they have to just push through. I imagine it was second nature for her, especially with Lord Mogami's lifestyle. He never applied to the capital for any aide; he just gave his own tax portions back to his people if things became difficult. And knew how to do even the most mundane tasks around his keep himself if he had too. Lady Kyoko obviously was raised to be very self sufficient."

"Crazy northerners," Kuu sighed, but he seemed to have calmed down. He still looked very depressed, but the anger had left. He glanced up at his wife and noticed that she was still perilously close to tears and sat up to wrap an arm around her shoulders and kiss the top of her head.

"She probably had other concerns as well," Kuon added softly from across the room. "I imagine she arrived here not long after I returned. I doubt she would have expected a warm welcome at that point, and once she felt comfortable, it would have been awkward to admit the truth."

"As long as she wasn't hurting anyone, she was sure it was alright," Lory grumbled. "Really, that girl…"

"It isn't your fault," Juliena said suddenly, making sure her son had heard her. He smiled weakly.

"I think I might be a little more responsible for this than I wish were true," he pointed out. "Even though Yukihito was there, the one to recognize her should have been me. I was right there in front of her, staring at her. I danced with her at the ball. I don't have very many good excuses."

"Brain damage?" Yukihito suggested helpfully.

"Humiliation?" Lory added with much less honorable intentions.

"Enough," Kuu commanded. "Just… enough. We'll all stew over this plenty for days to come, I'm sure. We all failed here. But now, that isn't the important thing. We need to decide what we do now."

"She's noble," Yukihito stated, bringing them back to the obvious. "That's why she knows all of the things she does. And why she looks and acts so well. And why she can dance so well. But she's a _noble_."

The significance of this seemed to sink into everyone else in the room. Kuu looked to see what Kuon's reaction was. He was disappointed with the lack of enthusiasm.

"She can't stay here," his son stated suddenly, looking at both of his parents. "You can't actually keep her here now that you know, can you?"

"No," Kuu admitted. "That would be impossible. Especially with her lands in the condition they are said to be in right now. Her people need her to take her home back and bring things to order."

Gloom settled over most of the party, but Lory merely looked thoughtful.

"It would be a pity," he said quietly, "if we let her go in such a way that her secret got out. She's done a great deal for all of us. She deserves better than a sendoff wrapped in scandal."

"I assume you have a plan?" Kuu asked, still disappointed in how this was unfolding.

"I'm hoping that you would be willing to leave everything up to me…"

Kyoko was downstairs in the kitchen the next morning, Maria sleeping in after having refused to fall asleep until she had recounted all of her conversations and everything of the least significance that had occurred at the supper the night before. As such, it had been quite late by the time she had drifted off.

It had been even later when Kyoko had been able to finally set aside her own worries about being discovered and had drifted into a fretful sleep. Actually, if it had not been for the small stone that Kuon had given her the night before, she might have been up all night. Even without a proper source of light, Kyoko found a comfort in turning the stone over and over in her hands. She had fallen asleep with it clenched tightly in her fist.

Rather than sleeping in the next morning, Kyoko woke up at her usual time and went downstairs to help with the aftermath of the feast. There was a mountain of dishes, a slew of tablecloths, and a heap of trash that needed taking care of. She was more than welcome to assist, and the work helped her to relax even more. No one down here was talking about anything concerning her. If something had gotten out, it would have spread like wildfire. It looked like she was safe.

Several hours into her work, Kyoko thought it was time to check on Maria and excused herself to head back upstairs. On the way, she ran into the Duke who stopped her and stated that Maria was still sleeping.

"If it's alright, I'd like a word with you," he said casually. "I've been meaning to talk to you about your plans for the summer."

"Of course," she answered, "I'm perfectly free right now." Lory led her to his own study and had Sebastian close the door behind them. He settled at his desk and indicated to Kyoko to take a seat in front of him, smiling as she carefully arranged her skirts and sat at perfect attention.

"Your Grace wanted to discuss my summer plans?" she asked slowly, suddenly nervous. She had thought he was finally asking her to remain with Maria when he returned home. But something felt… off.

"Oh, yes. Well, then let's not beat about the bush. After supper last night I had the privilege of speaking to one of Lady Saena Mogami's daughters. She told me a rather interesting story, which I think you would find rather pertinent to your own life." He watched her look go from shock to horror. "Especially given that it is your own story, Lady Kyoko Mogami."

"I-" Her mouth worked up and down, but no noise came out.

"I'm not looking for excuses or explanations," he continued, ignoring her terror. "I knew your stepmother when she first arrived at court and married her first husband. I also knew your father a little. And I know you very well. I can understand the circumstances that led you out here, and required you to keep you identity secret from all of us."

"I'm sorry I lied to you, Your Grace," she whispered, staring at the floor. So much for keeping her secret.

"I'm sorry that you didn't tell me the truth, but I can't say that I feel I've been lied to. For all that you did not tell us the details of your history, I never felt that you were dishonest with any of us, about your character or your capabilities."

"Thank you, Your Grace," she whispered nervously. "Have you… told anyone? About me?"

"All of the royal family knows, as does Yukihito," he replied flatly. Kyoko cringed.

"All of them?" she asked softly, crossing her fingers.

"Even the Prince," Lory added without any attempt at subtlety.

"I see…"

"And I've spoken with your stepmother." Her head shot up in surprise.

"You did what?"

"This morning, I paid her a very early and rather unwelcome visit. Since you are now known to the royal family, you can't stay here any longer. And because of your father's will, your stepmother has no right to keep you from your own house. You will need to take back your family name, and the responsibilities that go with it, Lady Kyoko. As such, your stepmother needed to be dealt with. Sine you have hitherto failed to do so, I felt it was best if I… intervened."

"What did she say?" Kyoko asked worriedly.

"Not much," he lied brazenly. Saena had had much to say, mostly to try to deny and discredit Kyoko. But once she had realized that Lory could not be deceived, she had said very little. "She understands her own precarious position and was willing to listen to me. I think she still has hope that she will escape this mostly unscathed."

"It wouldn't be too surprising," Kyoko sighed.

"Oh, she'll have plenty to deal with, I'm sure. There are any number of people that she will have to be wary of."

"How will I tell everyone?" Kyoko asked with concern. The idea of revealing herself to all the nobility, to the staff…

"You won't," Lory told her. "That is part of the reason that I spoke to your mother. It would be very bad if it was known that the royal family unknowingly kept one of the nobility as a kitchen worker for several months. Especially given that they interacted with her personally on several occasions, and should have recognized her."

"But there's no reason for anyone here to know me," Kyoko pointed out stubbornly. "I never came to court and my father was not close friends with anyone. How could they have known me?"

"Were you at the ball?" Lory asked mildly.

"Yes, and so was the rest of the kingdom," she answered in frustration.

"It doesn't matter. Appearances are what count to court gossips, and you know that." Kyoko flinched.

"Yes, Your Grace," she answered quietly. Lory officiously dismissed her comments with a flick of his fingers.

"In any event, you will be returning with me and Maria to my holding this spring." Kyoko looked up, startled. "The story will be that I have hired you away from the palace, offering you a substantial raise and a mountain of perks to offset you taking on the permanent charge of my wild grandchild."

"Oh, Your Grace, I couldn't-" Lory cut her off.

"I am only going to say once, Lady Kyoko, that unless you are physically incapable of one of the tasks I will be giving you, you no longer have a say in the matter. I am grateful for what you have done for Maria, and this is as much for your sake as it is for any of ours. But you are to obey the orders you are given, with no complaints so that this goes off without any problems. Understood?"

"Yes, Your Grace."

"Now then, you will return with me. I will explain the situation to my son, and we will set it about that you have been staying with my family for a number of years, which is why you were _not _at the ball earlier this year. You were too unwell. You have been with my family for that express reason. In your father's will, he will have left you to my care in case your stepmother was incapable of the task. In your grief, you proved to be too much for her, and so you were sent to me. Now that you have recovered, you will reveal where you have been and reclaim your place as your father's daughter and the carrier of his inheritance. You will revitalize your lands and become the center of social attention in the north as everyone flocks to your side to hear your sad tale and try and marry their son to you."

"Will they believe it?" she asked skeptically, not entirely pleased with the picture that he had just painted.

"Your father and I are both crazy enough, and your stepmother has no objections to the plan. It keeps her carelessness a secret from most of the world, and because I have been working with her, she assumes that the royal family is unaware of her indiscretion, which will lessen her anger with you." Though not with her daughter, Lory thought discontentedly.

"So who knows all the truth?" Kyoko asked carefully.

"You and I will. We will have to tell Maria at some point, but not just yet. Once we leave, I think. She will probably be upset at first, but she will get over it. She has thought of you as a lady for a long time now. The king and queen will know all of our plans, because for _some_ reason they do not trust me, but no one else will."

"May I- would it be alright if I told the head chef and his wife?" Kyoko asked quietly. Lory considered this.

"Well, they probably deserve to know the truth, more than anyone else," he eventually conceded. "It would be better if they knew. They are both very discreet individuals. I will call them in for the purpose of transferring your employment, and we can tell them the truth."

"Not right now?" she asked, suddenly terrified again.

"Oh yes, right now. Perhaps I should have said this outright, but you are _not_ going back to work as a servant here. You will still have to tutor Maria since we cannot reveal you, but you will not spend another minute working around this palace at any other task. You may run your own keep how you will when you return there, but the king and queen have a responsibility to you as a noble guest, and you will not dishonor them by working for them any longer."

"I see," Kyoko answered demurely, sinking in her seat.

"I will call them in, then," Lory told her, calling for Sebastian and having him retrieve the two very busy individuals. The Head Chef looked very displeased when he arrived and his wife seemed a bit nervous. They both frowned when they saw Kyoko.

Lory gestured to Kyoko that this was her responsibility and in the next few minutes, amongst a million apologies, she told them her story and begged their forgiveness. The chef's wife was very reassuring, but her husband did not say anything. Kyoko looked up at him, pleading.

"I'm very sorry I didn't tell you," she whispered, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. To her dismay he simply shrugged. When he noticed her lip trembling however, he spoke.

"My father worked for your father for a number of years. You smell like a noble, and Father always said Mogami had pure gold eyes, nothing tainted in them. It seemed reasonable that you were his. But you never said anything, and I figured it was up them to know who you were," he stated, nodding in Lory's direction. There was a slight twitch on the Duke's face.

"You… knew? No- suspected?" he asked with controlled interest. The Head Chef shrugged again.

"No one asked what I thought," he answered passively. "I figured as long as she was safe -and _I_ could keep her safe- there wouldn't be a problem." There was a tense moment and a challenging look shared between the two older men, but it passed as Lory backed down.

"Well, next time, I'll remember to ask," he capitulated with only a touch of bitterness. The chef smiled.

"If we're done here, sir, my wife and I need to be back in the kitchen. It will be a riot without us." Lory nodded their dismissal and Kyoko sighed.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to help with any more of the cleanup," she apologized sadly. To her surprise, the chef's wife laughed and the head chef gave her a rather warm smile.

"I'm sorry, Lady Kyoko," his wife explained quickly. "But it's just that that is so very much like you."

"Oh please don't call me that!" Kyoko begged. "I can't be called that yet."

"Very well," the older woman promised. "Then we'll go back to work. And we will, of course, let the rest of the staff know about Miss Kyoko's change in employment."

"Thank you. That would be very much appreciated," Lory answered.

The two left and the Head Chef gave his wife an interesting look.

"I told you so," he stated before stepping ahead of her. His wife just shook her head, still smiling.

Of course he had told her so.

Back in the room, Kyoko sank back into her chair, feeling lightheaded all of a sudden. This was just all happening so fast. She had been dismissed by both of her employers, had been discovered by everyone that had once thought well of her, and was going to leave the palace and return back to her father's home.

She should have felt excited, but instead all she felt was empty.

"Lady Kyoko," Lory murmured, regaining her attention. She began to apologize for drifting, but he cut her off. "I sent Sebastian to take care of Maria for the morning. She's been told that you went to help with clean up in the kitchens, and we are going to conveniently forget to tell her that you finished this particular job before lunch. You will be back with her by suppertime, but for now, you are free."

"I- Thank you, Your Grace?" she replied, confused by the order.

"We need to discuss some of the details of the plans that I have made for you, especially since you won't be heading home right away and work on your lands needs to start as quickly as possible." Kyoko nodded and listened closely as Lory explained what he had learned from Kanae and how he intended to use the information; specifically, placing Kanae in charge if getting things moving while Kyoko was still at court. He also explained that during Maria's studies, Kyoko would be preparing herself for her new responsibilities.

"I understand, Your Grace," she told him once he was finished.

"There is one other thing I forgot to mention," he announced casually as she watched him. "Since your stepmother was not very pleased with the turn of events, I felt it would be best to remove her daughter's from the house until she had time to… adjust to her new position in the household. They are staying here in the palace for the next several days, and Lady Kanae expressed a wish to see you."

It was comforting and delightful to watch Kyoko's face light up at those simple words. She was suddenly on her feet, giving the Duke a graceful curtsy and stumbling over excusing herself. He smiled and informed her where her sisters were, then watched in amusement as she almost dashed out the door.

Clearly, there were no bad feelings for her stepsisters. Lory smiled in relief.

Kuon flung his arm over his eyes as he woke and realized a thin but perfectly inconveniently placed beam of light was creeping through his drawn curtains. Well, that was was he got for opening them to stare at the stars for an hour before he went to bed and not closing them properly when he finished. Kyoko would laugh if she-

Kyoko.

What was a man supposed to do when the girl that he had recently fallen in love with had already rejected him, in no delicate terms, before he had even realized it was possible to have feelings like the ones that were growing inside of him? How did he apologize firstly for insulting her by ignoring that she even had feelings when he did propose, then for not even recognizing her when she had almost instantly reappeared in his life? How did he court a woman who was going to live a million miles from his own home and could not return to his side until all the damage that had been done to her people had been fixed, and she had found someone else to watch over them? How did he get around the fact that the only person she could really trust her people to would be some other man that she would marry for duty and maybe even love? How did he reverse the clock and have himself born as someone other than the Crown Prince, tied to the throne just as surely as she was tied to her father's land?

Tired of his pity party, the Prince sat up with a groan and clutched his head. He had not had very much to drink the night before, but his ridiculously late bedtime coupled with his stress and very disturbed sleep had combined to make moving something of an unpleasant experience.

How was he going to get dressed?

Lurching out of bed, he stared at his wardrobe and decided that instead of properly dressing, he might as well head down to the fencing courts. Ryutaro never skipped practice, no matter how late a night, and Kuon could use the clarity that came with an expert's spar. And maybe if he could not focus, Ryutaro would knock some sense into him.

When she finally reached Kanae's room, Kyoko hesitated outside the door. She had missed her sister terribly, but they might only have asked for her out of politeness, possibly to apologize formally. Her hand hovered over the wooden panels in front of her for a moment before she urged them to tap softly. Almost immediately the door was wrenched open and Kyoko was greeted by the anxious face of her older stepsister.

Anxiety left her. With a breathless, "Kanae!" she threw herself into the room and almost tackled her sister in a crushing embrace. While Kanae struggled to free herself, Chiori quickly checked the hallways, empty with all the guests sleeping in and the workers all busy in the ballroom and the kitchen, and closed the door, shaking her head and smiling.

Some people never changed.

"Kyoko! Stop it, I hear you. Would you get off of me!" Kanae demanded, her heart not really in it. She had not actually expected to be welcomed with such uncompromising warmth. But it would not be Kyoko if she was not as forgiving as she was patient.

"I'm sorry," Kyoko gasped as she finally let go and turned to give Chiori a much more restrained embrace. "I just missed you so much. There are so many _stupid_ girls here, all of them after the Prince, and I've been dying to speak to you!"

Chiori chuckled and guided Kyoko over to a chair so that they could sit and talk. The guest suit they were in held two separate bedrooms both off a main sitting area. They were small rooms, but the girls did not complain. To be away from their mother was enough.

"Are you alright?" Kanae asked as soon as Kyoko was seated. "Duke Takarada says you've been working as his granddaughter's chaperone. You haven't been having any trouble with that, have you?" Kyoko shook her head vigorously.

"Oh no. Maria is very good, and being her chaperone is almost as proper as being a real lady. I've spent time with the king and queen, and the Crown Prince, and I've even been learning to fence!"

The stepsisters listened happily as Kyoko described her work at the palace to them. She eventually expounded her journey here to them, then explained her original job in the kitchen. She mentioned only some of the difficulties she had had with the female staff early on, but Kanae and Chiori were able to guess how much she had held back. They were used to hearing Kyoko's side of a story and knew what kinds of things she left out. Kyoko went on to describe her exact work with Maria and how the Prince sometimes helped, getting to ride the queen's horse because Prince Kuon had been so careless, getting her "own" horse to ride with Maria and the Prince, fencing with Master Ryutaro and Prince Kuon, taking care of a sick Maria, and helping plan Maria's birthday party.

"Sounds like you've been busy," Chiori commented. Kyoko nodded.

"This time is the worst part of the year because everything is so crowded and busy, but it hasn't been too terrible. And Maria really enjoyed her party the other evening. It was small, but pleasant."

"Speaking of birthdays," Kanae cut in, "yours was yesterday. What did you do to celebrate?"

"Oh, nothing," Kyoko admitted casually. "I didn't even tell anyone. With the winter feast, it seemed so silly. And we never celebrated at home either."

"Not formally," Chiori protested, "but Kanae and I always got you something."

"Yes, you did," Kyoko answered happily. "You were very good."

"Fortunately for you," Kanae announced, "we still are. Chiori, would you like to go and get it, or should I?"

"I'll go get it. I think we put it with my things." She exited quickly and soon sounds of things being shuffled about could be heard from her room. Kanae turned back to Kyoko.

"So you didn't do anything to celebrate?" she asked incredulously. Kyoko hesitated.

"Well, I had to stay up after Maria's party to clean, so I ate one of the leftover cakes when the watch called midnight."

"You poor thing," Kanae sighed. "No one even knew all day long." She paused as Kyoko blushed. "What?" she demanded, instantly suspicious.

"Oh, no, nothing. It's just… well, actually His Highness came to check on me while I was cleaning and sort of discovered that it was my birthday. So he did know."

"Really?" Kanae pressed. It might just have been her, but it seemed as though the infamous Prince Kuon had figured quite a lot in Kyoko's description of her new home, and Kanae was more than willing to press for information. "Did he tell anyone else?"

"I don't think so," Kyoko responded after considering it for a minute. "Maria didn't say anything to me last night, and I'm sure she would have. But he wasn't rude," she suddenly insisted. "He even gave me a little gift." Kanae's eyebrow shot up.

"A gift?"

"Just a little thing," Kyoko told her, not quite sure if she wanted to share her new treasure with anyone just yet. "A… stone. It's pretty, but it isn't valuable or anything. It's just a trinket."

"I see," Kanae replied calmly, leaning back into her chair. She considered her stepsister for a moment. "Why didn't you tell anyone here about who you were?" she asked suddenly. Kyoko almost jumped in surprise.

"Tell someone? I couldn't! I'm the girl that hit the Prince and refused his proposal. How could I tell anyone that?" she asked frightfully.

"Then why did you come here?"

"It was the only place I could work," she explained. "After I had been here for a while, people kept telling me they could recommend me somewhere else, but I figured I had very good work and I enjoyed what I was doing. Since I didn't see any of the noble families, there was no reason to leave a place where I was so well hidden."

"Why didn't you tell the Duke who you were? He's never been said to spoil the Prince. And if you're the only person his granddaughter likes, wouldn't he have been the best person to ask? He could have gotten you out of here, at least." Kyoko hesitated again, biting her lip.

"I… I didn't want to leave," she confessed. "I still don't. If I could stay here, it would be-"

But what it would be if she could stay, Kanae did not hear. Chiori burst back in just then, excited.

"I found it! I almost forgot where I had put it -we had to hide it really well from Mother you see- but I have it. Here."

Kyoko was slightly dazed, but accepted the brown wrapped package with a mumbled thanks. Kanae repressed a grumble at the untimely interruption and ground her teeth. As Kyoko carefully unwrapped her gift, a heavy gold frame was revealed, one that Kyoko was quite familiar with. Turing the picture over, the old familiar portrait met her gaze and she smiled fondly, caressing the image softly.

"Papa…"

Her father had had this particular portrait painted for her tenth birthday. It was special because she been allowed to sit with him for the painting. Her ten year old smiling face was upturned worshipfully towards his and he held her safely in his strong arms. Oh, how she loved him.

"We brought it with us to have it cleaned," Kanae informed her. "We know that no one has touched his study to clean it since you left. It was sitting on his desk, collecting dust and getting musty. We thought, even if we couldn't see you again, if we had this cleaned, we could call it your gift. But here you are."

"You'll have to take it home," Kyoko whispered sadly as she gently traced her father's features. "I can't be seen with it. But if it's there when I get back…"

"We'll keep it safe," Chiori promised. Kyoko nodded thankfully.

They were silent for a little while, but eventually Kanae cleared her throat to speak again. She was glad that Kyoko liked her gift, but it was imperative to discover why Kyoko was so reluctant to leave the palace.

"I'm glad you're pleased, but if we could return to the topic we were discussing before we were so rudely interrupted…" Chiori rolled her eyes and Kyoko glanced at her younger sister once before turning a pleading look to Kanae. Chiori noticed this and sighed.

"Should I find a quiet corner to entertain myself in?" she asked dryly. Kyoko was horrified and immediately shook her head, but Kanae was not so kind.

"Yes. Right away, before this girl escapes."

"Oh no, Kanae, don't send her away. She can stay-"

"It's fine," Chiori stopped her. "I don't mind. You always shared more secrets with Kanae. She's better at keeping them than I am. I let things slip sometimes. I'll just find a quiet place to read while you two finish up."

"Thank you," Kanae saluted as Chiori slipped out the door. Kyoko protested a bit more, but was firmly ignored. "Now, explain why you don't want to leave the palace."

Kyoko squirmed and thought for several moments.

"I… like it here. I don't mind the work. It's not so bad. And…" she trailed off hopelessly.

"People respect you," Kanae suggested.

"Yes," Kyoko agreed. "That's definitely part of it. But even if people were like that back home…" she trailed off again, staring out the window sadly. Kanae waited silently, though her tapping finger betrayed her impatience. "He won't be there," Kyoko finally admitted softly. Kanae's eyes narrowed.

"The Prince?" she asked. Kyoko nodded. "The same Prince that, not even a year ago, you turned down when he proposed to you?"

"Yes?" Kyoko whimpered. Kanae wanted to scream, but the wounded look on Kyoko's face touched her and made her instead stand and hug her sister awkwardly. "You like him?" A sniffle and a nod answered the question. "Why? He's so… arrogant. And handsome." She said the word like it was almost vulgar and Kyoko chuckled.

"He's not all bad," she explained, pulling back and fumbling for a handkerchief. "He's gotten better since you last saw him. And I even accidentally got him to talk about the proposal. He didn't know it was me he was talking about, but he said he felt bad about how he handled it. And he's been so nice, even though I'm only a servant here. There were even a few times-" But she stopped herself with a shake of her head. It would not due to dwell on those two tiny moments. They were as good as illusions. The Prince had never been serious and if he knew who she was now, he had to hate her. For deceiving him, for scolding him, for humiliating him. She would have cried, but she was comforted by a hand patting her back carefully. She sighed once then pulled herself together.

"Are you alright?" Kanae asked. Kyoko nodded.

"I'll be fine. What are men when there's work to be done?" she asked as cheerfully as she could. "His Grace said you have plans based on Papa's work. Can you tell me about them?"

Kanae agreed to this and started explaining the premise of the plan. In the back of her mind, she went over the Duke's plots for her stepsister and tried to relax. If Kyoko was this attached to the palace, and to the Crown Prince, perhaps Lory Takarada was right. In any event, Kanae did not have the skill to stand in his way. She would follow his instructions perfectly, even if they did make her twinge with guilt.

Juliena watched her husband as she adjusted the collar of her dress and fumbled for her last buttons up the back. He stood at their window, his face unusually serious and stern, his hair still unbrushed. It was one of the problems with not having servants to help them dress. The king and queen knew it was unconventional, but it was more time with just the two of them, and they always capitulated when it came to formal occasions. But sometimes they would get distracted and Juliena had to grab her husband before he walked out with unbrushed hair or mismatched buttons.

She finally gave up on her own difficult clasp and wandered over to Kuu, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder and kissing him softly as he looked down at her in surprise.

"You're drifting," she informed him gently. Then she smiled. "And your hair's a mess."

He glanced up instinctively, then chuckled at his own folly and shook his head.

"I suppose I should fix that, shouldn't I?" he asked teasingly, but with a note of sadness. "After all, it is something that _I_ can fix…"

"Kuu-"

"I know, I know. I wasn't my fault. Lory's taken care of everything. It will all work out," he answered with only slight impatience as he made his was over to the vanity, finding a brush and running it across his head a few times. Juliena joined him and took the tool from him, fixing his hasty mess with calm patience.

"It isn't fair that he's taken everything over," his wife sympathized simply as she finished her work and patted his shoulder, putting the brush back down. He turned around to face her and catch her in his arms.

"I know. The problem is that his plan is perfect."

"Almost perfect," Juliena corrected mildly, straightening her husband's collar. "He forgot something important, and I think we can make it a birthday present for Lady Kyoko. Would you mind?" Kuu smiled.

"I suppose it depends a little. Are you going to get carried away?" he teased.

"Oh no. But it will help her, and give us a chance to show that we want to support her. It won't make up for everything that she has been through, but…" Kuu stroked his wife's cheek.

"Have I told you how much I love you?" he asked her, earning a smile and a peck on the nose.

"Not enough. And I only got three 'You're beautiful's last night before the ball." She pouted prettily. "I was heartbroken."

"You are the most beautiful woman on earth and I love you more than breathing," he told her before he kissed her.

"We have to go," she reminded him before he could steal a second kiss. "We have guests to send off today, and you have a meeting, which means you need to go eat, now." Kuu sighed.

"Oh, alright," he pouted, and his wife's smile grew. This was the childish man she knew and loved.

"But can you help me with my buttons first?" she asked turning and moving her hair out of the way. She felt his fingers on the back of her neck.

"Off or on?" he asked lightly. She tread on his foot.

"We have work, Kuu."

"Oh… fine."

* * *

_And end chapter. I hope that you all enjoyed. I'm afraid Kuu and Julie demanded more screen time again, but how could I resist. Really._

_Thanks to all the diligent and new reviewers. You're comments are appreciated and I'm glad that twenty one was worth the wait. I'll try to keep things moving along, but thank you all for your support. Will thanks you too._

_For _Serendipidy_: As far as research, I web browsed for any details that I needed on clothing and stuff and I got help from a friend for fencing stuff, but as for period information and historical facts, I relied on my novel readings. Most of my information is based on my knowledge gleaned from Tamora Pierce works (which I find reasonable sources, if not at all official), and some later period works (Regency, Georgette Heyer). It's an eclectic knowledge base assembled over years, not the result of heavy research. As such, as reasonable as it sounds in my story, I'm probably wrong a lot._

_Our prayers and hopes with Japan and with everyone else who needs them.  
_


	23. Parties and Partings

_Chapter twenty three. And not too long of a wait, I hope._

* * *

The next several months would fly by for Kyoko. In her daily life, she would be treated much the same by the Duke, Their Majesties, and even by the Prince. But she already felt different. Detached, as though she were not really herself.

She was, after all, actually Lady Kyoko Mogami. And she no longer had the privilege of living without the responsibilities that that name carried. As far as she could see, in the not too distant future she would return to her home, take over the duties that waited for her there, and would never set foot again inside the walls of the palace.

She was a noble again, and it was doing her no good.

In fact, it seemed that being a noble was causing her even more problems than before. Her first trouble appeared when Kyoko went back to her rooms after finishing speaking with her sisters and was confronted with a bitterly livid Maria.

"You didn't say anything!" the girl wept as soon as Kyoko had closed the door. Kyoko was stunned. The Duke had said they would not tell Maria until the trip back- "It was your birthday yesterday and you didn't say anything!"

Oh.

"I'm sorry, Maria. I didn't think-" But she cut herself off. Reasonably speaking, she had known that Maria would have wanted to know it was her birthday. And she could not lie. "We wouldn't have been able to celebrate. I had to work."

"You could have celebrated with me, on my birthday," Maria pouted. Kyoko flinched. She had considered that, but with the royal family coming…

"I'm sorry," Kyoko apologized. She was doing a lot of that today, she realized. To the Duke, to the Head Chef, to Kanae, to Maria. Was it going to end? "I'm very sorry Maria. I didn't consider your feelings."

"Will you fix it?" the little girl asked, tilting her head up and letting a few tears gather in her eyes. Kyoko crouched down and took her hand.

"Anything," she promised. Maria immediately smiled.

"Then we're having a party!" she announced. "Grandpapa already said we should, if you said we could. So that's what we'll do."

Kyoko was dumbfounded.

"Maria, I don't think-"

"Grandpapa said he would be in charge of it, but we'll have to wait until some of the guests leave so that things aren't so busy. Probably later this week!" Kyoko tried to think of something to say, but no words would come. Apparently, today was also a day to be rendered speechless. "We'll give you presents and have a tasty dinner and everything!"

"That- that sounds lovely, Maria," Kyoko said, doing her best to smile. She really had no ability to refuse after all. It was not like she could say any longer that she was a nobody. People knew better now. Maria smiled back and dragged Kyoko into the room to show her the letter that she had written to her father, explaining the dinner the night before and all the fun that she had had.

Trouble just kept coming. The next morning Kyoko was summoned from her lessons with Maria for a meeting with the King.

"Your Majesty," she dipped a beautiful curtsy to the man who stood in front of her, resting against a window sill. She had been brought to his personal study and was more than a little nervous. He had a serious look on his face when she arrived, but he smiled reassuringly as he straightened and Kyoko was slightly relieved.

It did not look like he hated her completely.

"Thank you for coming, Lady Kyoko. Would you have a seat?" He gestured to a chair in front of her, but she noticed that he made no move to sit himself. She did lower herself into the chair, but the feeling of intimidation returned. He was so tall, so high above her. Just like his son.

"Your Majesty needed something from me?" she asked timidly, not sure what to expect. He sighed and her fears doubled.

"I'm afraid that I need your help with something troublesome. Lory tells me that you know that the queen and I are aware of your situation." Kyoko nodded. "Then I hope that you will accept my most humble apologies, Lady Kyoko, for failing you as your king."

"Oh no, Your Majesty," Kyoko protested. "It's really all my fault-" He silenced her with a raised hand.

"Lady Kyoko," the king said slowly, "I am responsible for the welfare of my nobles. They watch and protect my people, and when I do not do my duty to them, everyone suffers. Your people have suffered because of my neglect to make sure that after your father's death, you were being taken care of. And you suffered as much as, if not more than, any of them. And I hope that you can forgive me for it."

Since Kyoko had never once considered her situation the fault of the king, she was easily able to promise that she held no grudges against him, and out of sheer politeness rather than a belief that it was necessary, she accepted the apology.

"It will be an honor to serve you, Your Majesty," she told him reverently. Kuu smiled a little, but his face became serious again.

"Thank you for your vote of confidence. But the situation is still rather muddled. As such, I hope you realize that as your sovereign, there are some things I need to deal with. Foremost being your stepmother." Kyoko blinked. She had thought her own crimes warranted some attention, but she did have to admit that throwing a noble out of their home was fairly wrong.

"I understand, You Majesty," she replied calmly, wondering where this was going. He smiled again.

"I'm not sure you do," he told her as he slipped behind his desk and sat down. Kyoko was glad. Craning her neck to look up at him was not fun. "I called you here because I expect you to help me decide on her punishment." Kyoko froze.

"Your Majesty, I don't think- I'm not really- I couldn't possibly be of help."

"I realize that you are unused to taking responsibility for things," he responded blandly, causing Kyoko's back to straighten. She had taken responsibility for many things. She could do anything she was told to.

"I'm sure Your Majesty has misunderstood me," she countered, her tone much more sure. Kuu's smile grew. "What I meant to say is that, as her daughter and as a person not trained in the law of the realm, I don't know what would be proper for me to suggest."

"Be that as it may," the king answered calmly, "I do need your help. Because we will not be publicizing Saena's crimes for your sake, we will need to come up with alternative punishments for her behavior. While we do need to address her treatment of you, we also need to pass judgement on her mistreatment of her tenants, and her various other misdemeanors."

"I think… I no longer understand, Your Majesty." Kuu nodded.

"The three people in the kingdom who know Saena best would be you and her two daughters. Since her crimes are mostly against you and your people, I need your knowledge of her to help me come up with an appropriate punishment. I've considered removing all of her noble rights because of all of her neglect at home, but I wanted your opinion first." Kyoko was silent for a long moment, meeting his hard gaze before she looked to the floor.

"If Your Majesty agrees, I think… that would not be a good idea," Kyoko said softly. Kuu leaned back, keeping his surprise under control.

"You don't?"

"It seems like that would be a very... public punishment. And that it wouldn't be in line with keeping this affair quiet." The king considered this.

"What do you suggest?" Kyoko mused for a few seconds.

"My stepmother is… _very_ proud," she said at last, very hesitantly. "Proud of her position in the world, and proud of her position in her home. Kanae- Kanae is going to be establishing things at home while I remain here, and Chiori hoped to be able to get the keep back to its former glory. But they both need to be free from my stepmother for things to really work. And she needs to be cut off from all of my father's money."

Kuu regarded her for a moment with a marked degree of respect.

"You suggest that I issue a royal edict, replacing Saena's power with subjugation to her children, and cut her off from her independence."

"It should work because technically the land and money are in my care," Kyoko said. "I can't keep them forever, but I can delegate responsibility, and I can have my stepmother banned from interfering."

"And it's possible for me to continue to feign ignorance of her treatment of you by saying the edict was an enforcement of your command, which I received second hand, and resulted only from your concern for your people. And making it about the tenants hides the rest of the affair from others. Very clever, Lady Kyoko."

Kyoko blushed.

"Th-thank you, Your Majesty."

"Then the only remaining issue is where she will go now," Kuu sighed, searching for a blank piece of paper on his desk. Kyoko frowned.

"Your Majesty?" He glanced up at her.

"Oh, well, she can't stay on the land anymore. She had no place there and we don't need her causing trouble. The only problem is where to send her that no one will notice or care. Her husband's family has no interest in her…"

There was a heavy silence as the king continued to search his desk and Kyoko's hands clasped and unclasped in her lap. Finally she spoke.

"May I ask for a favor, Your Majesty," she began in a small voice. She immediately had all of Kuu's attention.

"What would like?" he asked. Kyoko glanced up at him through her lashes.

"Could- could my stepmother stay at the keep?" Kuu blinked.

"Stay at the- are you sure?" he checked, incredulous. Kyoko nodded firmly.

"She doesn't have anywhere else to go," Kyoko pointed out. "And she's family. She should stay at home."

Someday, Kuu might know this girl well enough to not be surprised by her actions, or her goodness. But for now, he was simply very impressed. There was sadness surrounding her, but so little bitterness and malice. She was so very good. He would be horribly sad to see her leave.

"Is this really what you want?" he confirmed carefully.

"Yes. Kanae and Chiori will be just fine as long as they know they have legal support. They're good at forcing people to keep their word. And they don't really have any love for their mother, so they won't be bullied by her." This was said painfully, slowly.

"Do you love her?" Kuu asked, suddenly curious. Kyoko hesitated.

"I… respect her. As my stepmother. Not as a person, not as a woman, not as a noble. But my father married her, and I did love him. And he made me promise to take care of her because he knew that she would have nothing when he died unless I did my duty. He never loved her like he loved my mother, maybe not at all, but he never failed any of his people, and she is one of his people."

"You wanted to love her," Kuu stated. A tear formed at the corner of Kyoko's eye, but she was surprisingly calm.

"Yes. I really did." She was proud of how steady her voice was. She was stunned when the king left his desk and came to kneel in front of her, taking one of her hands and brushing some stray hair out of her face.

"You are an amazing woman," he whispered. "You deserve an amazing life." Kyoko gave a watery chuckle and shook her head.

"I think most people would think my life is fairly amazing," she pointed out. "Most nobles don't get to moonlight as servants."

"I guess not," he smiled. Then he patted her head a few times and released her hand, standing. "Now, there is one last thing." His smile now was apologetic.

"Your Majesty?"

"My wife… has a request for you," he said a bit unsteadily. "She's requested your presence in her workroom."

The way he said workroom made Kyoko very nervous. She had heard rumors of the horrors that girls experienced in the queen's workroom. She was not sure that anything good could come out of her visiting that place. But she nodded to the king, stood, and exited appropriately. The king watched her go, fascinated.

"You fell in love with a wonderful woman, Kuon," he whispered to the empty room.

His son would have been glad to know that he had his father's approval but he was in the middle of a very intense situation at that moment. Kuon had been heading towards the practice field, hoping that the calming effects of sparring that he had received yesterday would strengthen him again today. But he had been stopped by a young woman's sharp and piercing glare.

He knew this girl. He had danced with her in February. And now she was also revealed to be Kyoko's sister. Lady Kanae had his full attention, which seemed to be what she wanted.

"Is there something that I can do for you?" he asked, curiously watching her eye twitch in irritation. What had he done to deserve her rage? Oh, wait. Never mind. "Lady Kanae, if there is something that you need-"

"Will you take care of her?" Kanae asked, cutting him off. Kuon blinked in confusion. "She can't come straight back home and frankly, she isn't always smart enough to take care of herself. Will you take care of her?" Assuming she could only be talking about her stepsister, Kuon nodded.

"I'll do what I can," he promised. Her frowned deepened and she stalked forward, completely invading his space, jabbing his chest with her finger, and throwing her face only a hair's breath away from his.

"_Swear_ that you will keep her safe," she growled. "That you will do everything in your power to help her and make her happy." Kuon took a step back. He was not quite sure how to handle this woman. "_Swear it_!" she hissed. "That you won't ever hurt her again and that you'll do whatever it takes to protect her! Or do you still think she's just another girl you can play with?"

Kuon stiffened. He did not think that, and he would not tolerate anyone assuming that about him. He loved Kyoko and he was not going to accept a rebuke from this woman if she thought that he had intentions of hurting the only girl who had ever made him feel anything.

"I swear that I will take care of her," he promised without any hesitation. "As long as she is by my side, and in any way I can while she isn't, I will protect her, and make her happy."

Kanae studied him closely for a moment, her eyes boring into him. Finally, even though she still did not like it, she accepted what she saw as at least passable and turned away, heading back towards her room. Kuon blinked, not entirely sure what had just happened.

Kyoko stood in front of the queen's room and took a deep breath, preparing for more trouble, before she knocked softly. A sweet voice called, "Enter!" and Kyoko stepped in, looking around until she spotted Juliena at a massive desk covered in parchment with dozens of drawings strewn about. A small step stool was located a little to the desk's right and piles of dresses were arranged on a table that sat, threatening to collapse, against the back wall. A changing screen stood next to the table.

"Ah, there you are," the queen smiled as Kyoko stepped in. "You're excused, Mizuki. I'll call you again if you're needed." A blonde haired servant nodded to the queen and exited the room, giving Kyoko a reassuring and somewhat pitying smile. Kyoko swallowed and turned back to Her Majesty and gave her a polite curtsy. Juliena smiled. "Could you shut the door?" she asked kindly. Kyoko complied and suddenly she was once again all alone with royalty. Only this woman made her feel tiny even though Kyoko was the one standing. "Lady Kyoko, I'm sorry to interrupt your day. I know you're supposed to be with Maria right now, but I really did need to speak with you."

"Of course, Your Majesty. I'm more than happy to serve you." Juliena smiled and stood, walking over to grab Kyoko's hands and drag her over to the desk.

"I'm glad, but I'm afraid that you'll change your mind before long. The truth is, Duke Takarada has forgotten something very important as he's been making plans for you and I decided that I needed to step in. After all, since some of it is of a delicate nature, it would be much better for a woman to handle this. And His Grace already gave you a wardrobe-"

Kyoko stiffened in her chair, eying the papers on the desk skeptically. Some of the gowns that had been sketched looked magnificently beautiful and not at all suited to a simple northern girl like her. And besides, if she had understood Her Majesty correctly, she could not accept so large a gift from the queen.

"Your Majesty, thank you very much but I really don't need-"

"Yes you do," Juliena corrected her mercilessly. "A woman can gain courage from her clothes, and from knowing she is dressed at her best. And besides, your clothes from the Duke aren't nice enough for a noble heiress, even if you are planning on wasting your beauty on the desperate second sons in the north."

"Your Majesty, I'm really not planning on-"

"You aren't planning anything," Julie interrupted crisply. "Lory is in charge of your travel, my husband should have taken over your discipline of Saena, and your sister is planning how to set your lands straight. A woman who is not completely in control has to be ready for anything. And that means being dressed for uncompromising success. Now, here were some of my ideas for morning dresses…"

Once Juliena got started, Kyoko relented. She was still not comfortable with accepting all of these dresses, the queen seemed ready to supply her with even more clothing than the Duke had offered, but Juliena was a genius and Kyoko loved her designs. She made a few suggestions along the way and Her Majesty quickly noted Kyoko's tastes, predicting changes in later gowns that she showed Kyoko. There were a few arguments over ball gowns since Kyoko was convinced that she would not need very many, or need them to be very nice. So Juliena pretended to capitulate and stored away the little details that Kyoko crooned over as she critiqued the sketches.

One thing they were in agreement on was that Kyoko needed another set of practice clothing, and a new riding habit.

"You said you're still riding in breeches, even though you've been riding sidesaddle. That seems beyond ridiculous. If you have to sit in that abominable fashion, you should at least look fashionable," Juliena complained breezily. Kyoko, a little more relaxed than before, nodded in agreement.

"Though I don't really see why I have to ride sidesaddle at all," she groused. "It's so…"

"Ladylike?" Juliena suggested with a grin. Kyoko smiled. "I know. Kuu lets me ride with him sometimes, and I get to ride astride when we do. But I'm still not allowed to wear breeches, so I had to get clever."

"How?" Kyoko asked. Juliena was more than happy to show Kyoko the design that she had slowly been perfecting for respectable and modest females to wear when desiring to ride in a fashion that was not confining. It consisted of a pair of pants with very wide legs that took on the appearance of a skirt when the rider was standing.

"The biggest issue has been balancing the width," Juliena admitted. "They need to be wide enough to look like a skirt, but if they're too wide you can't mount and dismount. Would you like one?"

It had to be the only outfit that Kyoko accepted without a qualm.

After a great deal of talking, Juliena had Kyoko stand and went about getting her measurements. Then she had Kyoko try on a few very elegant dinner gowns, "Just to check," Juliena promised. "I need to make sure what I am imagining is what you will really look like."

The queen's taste was perfect and Kyoko looked lovely in all of the gowns, though a few adjustments were pinned in pace so the dresses sat just right. Kyoko's favorite, a deep burgundy with gold trim that matched her eyes, made her sigh with pleasure when she caught sight of herself in the full length mirror on the far wall.

"It's beautiful," she whispered as she fingered the silky fabric of the skirt with something close to envy. She blushed heavily. "I forgot what it was like to dress like a lady," she admitted almost shamefully. Juliena put an arm around the girl's shoulders and smoothed out a wrinkled on her sleeve.

"Well, it helps that you are breathtakingly lovely," the queen added warmly. Kyoko shook her head furiously at that.

"Oh no, Your Majesty. You're much lovelier than I am!" Juliena looked into the mirror with the young woman and cocked an eyebrow in disbelief.

"I may be a beautiful woman, Lady Kyoko, as my husband shamelessly tells me constantly, but that does not make you any less enchanting. Or do you not remember how many men danced with you at the ball?"

"That was-" But Kyoko could not tell the queen that her beauty at the ball had been the byproduct of magic. "I'm sure it wasn't like that."

"Kuon said you were the loveliest girl he saw all that week," the queen announced disinterestedly, shifting behind Kyoko to start helping her get out of the dress. But she was able to catch the blush that went straight to Kyoko's ears and neck.

"He did?" she asked, almost desperately. Juliena made small noise of confirmation.

"He doesn't tend to exaggerate about those things since he doesn't have a very good opinion of most young women. It comes from all of them trying to stroke his vanity. You've been very good for him to have around." She let the comment drop easily, ignoring the tension in Kyoko's shoulders. "I think he's been much more respectful since he's met you."

"I'm- I'm glad I could have been of service to His Highness," Kyoko said tightly. Juliena tactfully changed the subject.

"There, that should be all the ones you can't reach. Go ahead and slip behind the screen again. We should be finished so you can get back into your old dress now."

Kyoko thanked the queen. After she had changed, expressed her gratitude, and made a humble attempt at a final refusal of this grand gift, Kyoko slipped back out and ran back to Maria. Juliena watched the closed door for a minute before retrieving the red gold dress and examining the pins she had not removed with a smug look.

Kyoko's next few days were a whirl of emotion. Maria kept talking about plans for Kyoko's birthday until Kyoko wanted to squirm with shame. Then the Duke told Maria that Kyoko would be coming home with them and Maria turned half of her attention to this new and exciting plan. If Kyoko was coming home with them after all, then all of Maria's summer plans were a possibility. Kyoko was very glad that Maria was so happy. She only wished this happiness did not mean that Kyoko was leaving this place, probably forever. Because what she wanted, what she really wanted, was to stay right here for the rest of her life, even if it meant scrubbing floors and polishing silver from morning till dusk. She loved Maria and would be glad to see her stepsisters again when she went home. But more and more, she could not bear to leave this place. And in the rare moments where she was completely honest with herself, she could admit that it was because of one man.

Maria had noticed the occasions when Kyoko would suddenly lose track of what they were doing, staring off into space, a sad and lonely look on her face. But whenever she asked the older girl about it, Kyoko would only smile and say that winter did that to her sometimes. Maria smiled and responded that the party would cheer her up. The little girl noted it should be soon now that several of the guests had already left, including the Fuwas. This thought was enough to relax both girls for the rest of the day, though Kyoko eventually drifted back to her sullen demeanor once she had put Maria to bed.

A ghostly figure watched his daughter anxiously as she curled up in her own bed, a small blue stone clenched in her fingers, her arms wrapped painfully tightly around her knees. Eiji Mogami had been paying close attention to all of the plans that were being laid on his child's behalf, and while he wished that she were not so troubled now, he knew that her happiness was being taken into account. He almost felt as bad for the Crown Prince as he did for Kyoko. He brushed his hand across her head as she drifted off, wishing he could tell her just how lucky she was.

The day before her birthday party, Kyoko rose extra early to bid farewell to her stepsisters. Saena had been given her royal decree and stripped of her authority, and her daughters knew it was time to get home. Chiori and Kanae were ready for the hard work that awaited them when they returned, but were not ready to leave their stepsister behind again. Kanae, in an unusual display of emotion, hugged Kyoko tightly before she stepped into the carriage.

"Stay safe," she demanded in a choked voice as Kyoko returned her embrace. "And no frowning. You've been sad enough. It's time to smile again, you idiot." Kyoko giggled and promised to do her best. Then her sisters were gone.

Kyoko's party had the potential for greatness, owing mostly to Lory's contributions, but could really be called only an acceptable success. The guests were limited to the same crew that had celebrated Maria's birthday, but the event was shockingly less grand, especially given that the Duke's hand had been directly in it. With so many parties and obligations having just finished around the palace, the Duke had been forced to settle for a magnificently decorated room where the group would gather to give gifts and chat for a while with some lavish treats being proffered by Sebastian to those who had a stomach for more food after supper: so mostly for the king. The room was even hidden in a discreet corner of the palace with only the Duke's most trusted aide serving. And there was the suspicious lack of Kyoko and the queen when the party began.

Some confusion was lessened when the queen arrived dragging the timid and embarrassed Kyoko along beside her. Apparently, Lory had forgone his usual grandiose behavior for the sake of the stunning girl on the queen's arm. Juliena knew her hard work and endless arguments with Kyoko as she had been dressed were worth it when she saw the look on her son's face as he caught sight of Kyoko.

She was garbed in the red dress that Juliena had had her try on, which was not technically appropriate for her station as a servant, but was very worthy of her position as a noble and made Maria clap her hands in pleasure. Her hair was too short to arrange perfectly, but had been carefully styled and pinned back, and Juliena had forced her to borrow a matching red pendant on a gold chain. Lory was pleased with the queen's efforts, but his greatest satisfaction came not even from the look on Kuon's face, but the look on Kyoko's face when she realized the Prince was staring at her.

"Oh Kyoko, you're so beautiful!" Maria practically sang. Kyoko was too embarrassed and Kuon was too distracted to notice the slight bends of light around Kyoko's face, but Maria could see the excited fairies that danced about her mentor, giggling and whispering in awe.

"Miss Kyoko, you look enchanting," the king told her as he stepped forward to help his wife guide her into the room. "Do you like the dress?"

"Oh, yes, Your Majesty," she answered somewhat breathlessly. "It's very grand. Her Majesty really shouldn't have."

"Oh, but you need a dress for special occasions," Juliena answered sweetly. "What do you think, Lory?"

"I think it's an absolute failure on my part to not have already given her one. Although, I imagine yours is more to her taste than anything I would have come up with."

"Definitely," Yukihito agreed from behind the Duke. "Miss Kyoko, you look wonderful."

"Not very practical," Ryutaro pointed out, earning a smile from her. His continued teasing seemed to ease all of her self-consciousness and the rest of the party refrained from continuing their compliments, which suited Kuon just fine. He was not sure that he could say anything that would not have embarrassed the two of them.

Juliena released her captive and the king lead Kyoko to a seat in a circle very much like the one that had been at Maria's party. After she had been offered refreshment and accepted some water, the group playfully debated who should start with the gift giving. Maria insisted that she be allowed to go last, and eventually, Yukihito was bullied into being the first.

"I wasn't really sure what you would like," he admitted. "I'm afraid I had to ask for Miss Maria's assistance."

"Oh, you really didn't have to," Kyoko admonished as she opened the package. Inside was a book on the history of fencing. Kyoko was grateful and expressed her thanks beautifully. Ryutaro insisted on being next, and Kyoko was stunned when she opened a rather long box to reveal a beautifully crafted sword. It was not in the least decorative, but unfailingly practical and perfectly suited to Kyoko's hand. She had a hard time finding the words to thank him.

"It's nothing," he brushed off her stumbling attempts. "I make it a habit to make sure my students who are ready have a sword of their own. So technically, I'm cheating you by making it a birthday present."

Kyoko relaxed slightly and Lory wished he knew how the swordmaster had learned how to handle Kyoko's humility so deftly and efficiently. It was educating to watch.

Next came the king and queen, who explained that with the dress Kyoko was wearing, her other outfits were their gift to her. When Maria questioned what the other dresses were, Kuu fobbed her off with, "Oh, some riding outfits and such," which perfectly satisfied the little girl. She was already making plans to go riding with Kyoko when they got home. It made sense for Kyoko to have something nice to ride in. In fact, none of the lavish gifts that were being proffered to Kyoko gave Maria any pause at all. Lory had been right when he told Kyoko that Maria practically considered her a lady already. It only made sense to give a woman as wonderful as Kyoko nice gifts.

Lory gave his present next, handing Kyoko an envelope with a very official looking piece of paper inside of it. She sat silently, reading it closely for a few minutes before she looked up at him with a frown.

"You're giving me Mio?" she asked incredulously. The Duke gave her a wicked smile.

"No, I'm giving Mio you. She doesn't like anyone else, and you handle her beautifully. She deserves you."

Kyoko stared at him, trying to find the right words to combat his obvious attack on her scruples, but eventually nodded and thanked him as primly as she could.

"It's exceptionally generous of you, Your Grace. I hardly know how to accept such a fine gift."

"Like you accepted Ryutaro's," Lory suggested blightingly. Instead of stumbling over an apology, Kyoko smiled.

"Oh, well if you insist." She surprised the Duke enough with her blase acceptance that he was rendered speechless. Giving him a satisfied nod and earning a chuckle from the rest of the room, Kyoko placed the paper carefully on her lap and asked, "Who's next?"

"Well, we only have Kuon and Maria left, so I think it's Kuon's turn," Juliena answered. Since Kuon had not told his parents what he had gotten for Kyoko, they were both rather excited. Probably more so than Kyoko, who had only wondered if he had even gotten her anything at all. He had already given her the stone after all, and he could not be happy with her anymore.

"Here," he said, handing her a small package. She opened it carefully, lifting the lid on the box to reveal a simple necklace. She lifted it up to study the tiny pendant, only about as big as her thumbnail, on the silver chain. A tiny teardrop gem, soft pink and twinkling, sat in a silver frame, which Kyoko immediately dubbed its throne. It was intricate, but simple and beautiful. Perfect for the companion of young lady. At least, she thought so, since she could not be sure of the value of the gem.

If she had known, the gift would have been immediately disqualified from it position as "best appropriate gift," and she would have greatly protested accepting it. Which was why Kuon had decided it would just be better not to tell her.

"It's lovely," she said simply, but she could not quite disguise the happiness shimmering in her golden eyes. It was a lovely gift and apparently the Prince did not hate her enough to publicly denounce her. "Thank you, Your Highness."

"You're welcome, Miss Kyoko."

Maria jumped forward at this point, proffering her own gift to Kyoko, who smiled, carefully replaced the necklace, and took Maria's burden.

"It's from Papa too," she stated as Kyoko carefully removed the wrappings. "He helped me find the person who could make it."

"That was very kind of your father," Kyoko answered, uncovering a wooden box. Her eyes grew wider as she noted the intricate carvings all along its surface, a dazzling landscape of forests and rivers, interspersed with delicate fairies across the scene. As Kyoko turned the box this way and that, she spotted more fairies, hiding along the side behind trees, and dancing on the bottom on top of what looked like the small pool and Maria had once stumbled into. Opening the box, Kyoko noted that it was deep and carefully padded and lined with soft velvet. "Maria… it's beautiful." Maria smiled.

"It's a treasure box. I wasn't sure how big you would want it, but to fit all the pictures it ended up rather large. Is it alright?" she asked worriedly. Kyoko, considering the size of the box and trying to remember how big her foot was, smiled.

"It's perfect. I know exactly what I'm going to put in here."

"What?" Maria asked excitedly. Kyoko closed the lid and pressed a finger to her lips.

"It's a secret," she whispered conspiratorially, hoping that Maria would refrain from asking later what it was she meant to keep in this box. Maybe after she had told Maria who she was, she could share it. But for now, her glass slipper was something she felt was best to keep to herself.

The party wrapped up not long after that. The Duke escorted Maria and Kyoko to their rooms to field any questions in case anyone happened to see Kyoko. But they made it safely and Kyoko thanked the Duke for his generosity before she bid him goodnight.

Once she had put Maria to bed, Kyoko carefully changed out of her fine dress and into a nightgown. She put away all of her gifts, stroking her treasure box, passing a few swings with her sword before putting it down, and peeking at the necklace from the Prince before she slipped it into a drawer where no one would find it. She retrieved instead the small blue stone, letting it dance between her fingers a few times before she clutched it tightly in her palm.

At last, exhausted and torn between joy and guilt, Kyoko crawled into her bed, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep. She did not feel the ghostly lips that pressed against her forehead, or see the few fairies that still stayed by her, standing as sentries against bad dreams. She simply slept, peacefully, her fingers curled almost desperately around that small blue stone.

Winter continued without remark. At least until Kuon and Ryutaro decided that to alleviate the boredom of the few remaining young men that were picking fights on the fencing courts, and to test her skill, Kyoko would try sparring after her regular practice. She refused, of course, certain her skills were severely lacking, but could not withstand the commands of both men. Especially not when Maria joined the fray, begging Kyoko to try so that she could stay and watch.

So Kyoko began to fence with other partners, and discovered that of all the men that she knew, the Prince had to be the best fencer, next to Master Ryutaro. And being taught by the best meant you might not win very much at practice, but your other opponents were much less intimidating. She was only allowed two matches each day, but she showed spunk and skill and soon had the men who remained at the palace very much embarrassed. She even managed to coax Hidehito into a match, which turned out to be great fun because he was easily closest of the men left to the Prince in skill. And she beat him.

Which he immediately dismissed by announcing that he could not help but let a lady win. Which prompted Kyoko to pretend to be excessively affronted and threaten him into another match. Which he agreed to as long as they used live blades, knowing she had won the first time fairly and hoping to scare her away from a second win. But she accepted before anyone could stop her and promised to meet him the next day for their match.

"Are you sure about this?" Kuon asked quietly, cornering her as she stepped away from her opponent. "You've never practiced for a real bout." Kyoko shrugged.

"He isn't as fast as you are," she told him calmly, trying to hide the slight nervousness she felt. Of course she was not sure! But that did not mean she was going to let the man make fun of her. "And Master Ryutaro gave me such a nice sword. It deserves to get some use."

Kuon opened his mouth to retort, but Maria bounded up just then and the words died on his lips.

"Kyoko, you aren't really going to fight him again are you?" the little girl asked, frightened. "Not with a real sword?" Kuon was slightly bitter to see that Kyoko hesitated when presented with this tearful plea but not with his own wise concerns.

"It will be fine, Maria," Kyoko reassured smoothly after a moment. "I'll be very careful."

"Hidehito won't hurt her," Kuon added, more for Maria's sake than to encourage Kyoko. It had the strange affect of reassuring himself as well. "He has a fundamental abhorrence for hurting women. He won't hold back in terms of skill, but he won't harm her."

Maria looked at him skeptically.

"Are you sure?" she demanded. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"I'll be fine, Maria," Kyoko stated again. "I really will."

Maria was not convinced, and eventually was banned from watching the next day. She stayed for practice, but was retrieved by Sebastian, who brought Kyoko's sword, before the match could begin. She cast a worried glance over her shoulder and Kyoko gave Maria a smile which the young girl did not return.

Kyoko suddenly felt much more nervous.

As they were preparing for the bout, Kuon stood close, quizzing her on the match from the day before to make sure she was prepared for her opponent and giving her a few tips as Hidehito warmed up.

"Don't forget you're using a live blade," he added as he stepped back to let her take her guard position. Noticing a slight tremble in her arm he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can do this. Just like yesterday. You'll be fine."

Kyoko nodded, her hand no longer twitching.

"Hey, any advice for me, Prince?" Hidehito asked, moving to take his own position. "It isn't fair for you to just help her, you know."

"Sure," Kuon answered. "You insulted and enraged a female who is currently standing in front of you with a sharp and pointy stick in her hand. Watch the stick."

"I meant specific advice," Hidehito griped. Kuon rolled his eyes.

"It was specific. I told you: watch the stick, not the pretty girl."

Hidehito chuckled as Kyoko repressed a blush. He had to admit that part of the reason he had kept to the wall for so long was because it was much more fun to watch Miss Kyoko than anyone else. She was a female that could _move_. But he had his pride to defend, so he would try and pay attention to the blade in her hand today. Maybe that was why he had actually lost yesterday.

But Kyoko won again, incontestably. Hidehito could not know that her new sword was lighter in her hand and easier to use, but she was also fast and determined. And he could not cover for his lack of skill with his charm this time. With a final twist that made his grip on his sword shift dangerously, Kyoko's point found contact with his throat. Hidehito managed a garbled, "I yield," as his sword wavered in his hand. His sudden curse alerted Kyoko to his struggle and she stepped back in time to miss the falling sword from dropping onto her shoulder, but not quickly enough to avoid the tip sliding across her forearm almost from elbow to wrist in a slight curve.

She let out a hiss, but waved Hidehito off as he tried to step forward, apologizing profusely.

"I'm fine," she told him, turning her arm so that the slice in her loose sleeve opened and showed her the damage. "It's not deep. Barely bleeding."

Her reassurances were wasted. In seconds she was pinned on three sides with Kuon behind her, Ryutaro on her right, and Hidehito in front of her. The rest of the men hung back, but Kuon took her arm and made his own brief inspection while Ryutaro took Kyoko's sword and Hidehito continued to apologize.

"She's right. It doesn't look bad," Kuon confirmed, cutting off the string of humble "I'm sorries," that were pouring from Kyoko's opponent's lips. "Takenori will be able to take care of it easily."

"You take her," Ryutaro stated. "And you, young Kijima, pick up your sword. Just because you don't like it hurting women doesn't mean you can leave it in the dust like that." The younger man obeyed instantly. "Honestly, if you don't want to ever hurt females, don't point swords at them. Take her, Prince. She's fine. I'll have her blade sent back to her rooms and let His Grace know what happened."

"I don't need an escort," Kyoko protested, flinching as the shift in the Prince's grip pulled at her wound. "Honestly."

"You'll have one anyway," Ryutaro told her firmly. "I won't let Miss Maria say that we were careless with you, and she's going to be in a fire of a temper anyway, with you getting hurt."

Kyoko acknowledged the wisdom in this, and after detaching herself from the Prince, allowed him to walk with her to the infirmary. Meanwhile, Hidehito went to go and nurse his wounded pride by hunting down Lady Itsumi and confessing his abominable sins to a much more sympathetic listener.

Takenori growled in frustration when Kyoko stepped into his workspace, rolled his eyes, and pointed imperiously at an available seat which Kyoko meekly settled herself in. Kuon hovered nearby as the sleeve was rolled back and the blood cleared away, all while Takenori rambled in irritation.

"I'd ask where you got this, but I know. Oh, yes I do, don't look so surprised. You've been making no small amount of noise in this palace, Miss Kyoko. Agreeing to a duel! Why can't you ever come in here for small things?"

Kyoko smartly refrained from pointing out that she only had a very small scratch. She had a feeling that her visits to Takenori Sawara drained the man more because of their unusual and dangerous sources rather than her actual ailments and afflictions.

"It was an accident," she said simply. "He lost control of his sword after I had beat him and when it dropped I was a little too close."

"Between you and the Prince, I have found the epitome of foolishness," he groused. "Practice swordsmanship with live blades and sacrifice your own skin for a victory. No, don't correct me. If you were too close to dodge, it had to do with the fact that you won. Since Ryutaro wouldn't actually let our Prince teach you to do those sorts of things, you must have thought of it all on your own. Honestly, heaven forbid the two of you should ever marry and reproduce!"

Kyoko turned a very bright red at this and Kuon suddenly found that he could not look at the patient. They strictly avoided each others' gaze as Takenori moved to find a bandage to wrap the now clean wound with.

"Perhaps you could come up with some other way to scold us," Kuon suggested testily. "Some way that is more… proper." Takenori snorted as he sat back down.

"Nobles," he grumbled. "Oh, making nasty hints about each other and speaking in whispers of all their scandals isn't indecent at all. Setting up clandestine meetings, gossiping about them, that's perfectly acceptable. But mention the word 'babies' and all of a sudden it is a subject that is too delicate and indecent to talk about."

"You're absolutely right," Duke Takarada intervened, stepping suddenly into the room, causing the already nervous couple to jump in surprise. "But you would have to agree, Takenori, that discussing such a thing while you have a young man and young woman alone with you in the room and the door open is not the best way to keep people from more of that distasteful gossip. Especially since the young man happens to be the Crown Prince."

If it were possible, when the Duke had finished speaking Kyoko was even more red and Kuon's face seemed to have taken on a distinctly pink hue. Takenori blinked, then smiled guiltily.

"My apologies, Your Grace, Your Highness, Miss Kyoko. Here, I'll finish bandaging your cut, you can promise to stop dueling with live blades, and we'll call this a day."

Kyoko did not promise to never use a sword again, but promised to be more careful in the future and asked the Duke how Maria was.

"Worried about you," he answered calmly. "Which is why I am here to check on you. She is studying, not so much diligently as distractedly, and could not leave the task to see you herself. But you should be able to sit with her now?"

"Oh yes. It's only a scratch," she said with a bright smile. "Next time I'll be more careful to completely disarm my opponent before I close on them and I should be fine." Lory chuckled.

"Kuon, take her to Maria and make sure my granddaughter doesn't panic. Well done, Miss Kyoko. Very well done."

Maria scolded Kyoko when she came in, but was impressed that her mentor had won. Kuon and Ryutaro were also very proud of Kyoko, though they did not say as much in the hopes that it would discourage her from pulling such a stunt again. Her victory made it a little harder to find other sparring partners for Kyoko, but some things could not be helped.

In her time with Maria, Kyoko diligently studied the material that the Duke recommended for her, including some rather extensive notes on the nobility of the realm and their current issues, scandals, and rumors. He had assembled these reports himself, making them very detailed and disturbingly accurate. Kyoko studied everything she had been given, but for all the information she was getting, she still wished that she could stay behind when spring finally came.

At last news came that the roads further north were reliably open again, and more travelers were preparing to set out. Maria was very excited. Not only was she going to get to see her father, but Kyoko was coming with them. She was sorry that the Prince seemed to be in such low spirits, but since Lady Erika and Lady Mimori were not leaving for at least another month and he no longer had any excuses to avoid them, she could understand his frustration.

Kuon was unhappy that he would be left to the mercy of two completely obnoxious women. They had become enough of a trial that he had almost forgotten the horror of the few hours that Lady Mogami had been after him. But he was mostly sad that the one person he did want to be with was walking out of his life, possibly forever. And he had not been able to talk with her about her situation. He was not sure exactly what to say, but he did feel responsible for what had happened to her. If he had not been so selfish, she would not have been at odds with her stepmother. But then he also would never have gotten to know her. And she had said that she was glad to have met him, hadn't she? He was certainly happy that he had gotten to know her.

What could he say, to make this right?

Eventually, it was taken out of his hands. The day before Lory was to depart, Kuon was told by the Duke that Kyoko wished to speak with him before they left. She had been sent to Kuon's office, and was waiting for him there.

All kinds of thoughts had tumbled around in Kuon's head, wondering what on earth she could have to say to him. Alone.

He opened the door to find her standing in front of his desk, her hands clasped together, looking nervous and upset. She seemed to be fiddling with something, and he thought he saw a flash of blue as she noticed him and pocketed whatever had been in her hands. Was she carrying the stone he had given her? A tiny flutter of hope bubbled inside of him.

"Lady Kyoko, I-"

"Your Highness. I'm sorry, but there is something that I really need to say to you before I leave tomorrow," she interrupted with a slight note of anxiousness. Her tone worried him.

"Of course. Go ahead."

"I understand- His Grace says that you are already aware of the circumstances under which I came here?"

"Yes," Kuon answered seriously.

"And I assume you remember our first meeting," she asked uncertainly.

"Clearly, in spite of the number of people that were there."

"Oh, I should have said our second meeting, Highness."

"I remember that one too. I believe I did you a great disservice, and insulted you. I don't think I ever truly apologized for the insult either."

"You did so no more than I insulted you, Highness," she responded sadly. "And while I was very sincere in my sentiments at the time, I am very sorry for them now," she added, looking down at the floor.

"I appreciate that, but I really did deserve them," he tried to reassure her, taking a step forward.

"I know. But think I might have really hurt you when I hit you, and that was a bit much. And… I've gotten to know you much better since then and I think you have become a better person and… I'm very sorry that I hit you."

"Lady Kyoko-"

"I'll be leaving tomorrow, and I really had to tell you before then, since I don't know that I will be able to come back here. I'm sorry for that, and thank you very much for all you've done for me while I've been here. Most of it was because of Maria, but you put up with me scolding you several times, and there were the times that you helped me when my work had gotten me into trouble. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you the truth."

"It's alright-"

"Your Highness, please take care. And do your best. I'm sure… you're going to make a very good king someday, Your Highness. It will be a pleasure to serve you."

"Lady Kyoko, can I please say something?" he begged, stepping forward and taking her hands in his own. She stiffened.

"Highness?" He took a calming breath, trying to control his feelings. This was not what he had wanted to hear. And he was not letting her get away without answering a few questions.

"Thank you for your apology. And I am very sorry that I introduced you to a situation where you would have felt offended enough to hit me."

"I- it's fine, Your Highness." It wasn't fine, but Kuon did not feel like he had the time to set her straight. She seemed ready to bolt any second.

"Thank you, for everything that you've done while you've been here," he continued as calmly as he could.

"I wouldn't want anyone to think I had shirked my duty, Highness." Her words irritated him, but he tried to hold in his anger. He was not finished yet. He could not ask her what he really wanted to know -could she ever forgive him enough to love him- but there had to be something…

"May I ask you a few things?" She nodded cautiously. "About Shotaro." She flinched. "What exactly happened between the two of you? I assume he did know you before you were thrown out of your house."

"It wasn't much different from what I told you, Highness," she admitted. "We met at some social events and my stepmother invited him over on a few occasions. But she wanted him to marry one of my sisters. I think she didn't want my father's land being married away just yet also. She told him about my position in the house, and he reacted more or less how I told you. He probably figured that he could find another heiress, but one who didn't demean herself by knowing how to clean a floor."

Kuon's fingers tightened around her own and he had to breathe deeply for a moment before he could be sure that his temper was under control.

"And what did you say?" Kyoko hesitated.

"To him, nothing. I… was done. I didn't want to see him ever again. I didn't want to see a man ever again. I thought all of them would be just like him. My sisters agreed and we swore to never be taken in by such… emptiness. We promised… oh, silly things now that I think about it. I suppose that they can do as they wish, but I'll have to marry at some point, so I can't avoid men forever."

"Do you expect to be married soon?" he asked, wishing once the words were out of his mouth that he could take them back.

"Not... immediately. I don't know anyone up north. But His Grace thinks that I will be… sought after. Because of my father's land. I expect I'll marry just to get rid of all the suitors. Well, and to have someone who can take care of the land." Her voice seemed to get quieter with each word. Kuon felt his throat closing. He had to change the subject. His mind scrambled.

"I see. On the night of the ball. What exactly happened then? Your stepmother said that you were not supposed to be there, and I wouldn't put it past her to arrange it so that you couldn't. But you were there."

Kyoko stalled, pursing her lips, not sure what to tell him. The truth seemed far too absurd, but she could not lie to him. And it really had happened, hadn't it? She still had the other slipper, tucked away with her belongings, packed carefully for the trip back. Could she trust him to trust her? He did not seem to hate her as she had thought he would.

"It… is a very strange story, Highness. And really unbelievable."

"Why?"

"Because you have to believe in magic, or else you'll think I'm lying, and making fun of you." Her fingers were tightening on his now, begging him to listen, to accept her.

"Magic?" She nodded morosely and would not meet his eyes. Kuon was confused, but he wanted to trust her. A vague memory of a fairy on her shoulder, and another of a wind that had found her in the marketplace surged through his brain, encouraging him. "Tell me."

His voice was sure and Kyoko's hold relaxed a bit.

"My stepmother said I would be allowed to go to the ball if I found time to make a dress for myself. But with all the other preparations, I never did get the time. I sent my family off and decided to head out for a walk. There's a hill on the far side of the city, it looks over the palace rather nicely. I ended up there and was wondering what was going on at the ball. And then…" she looked him squarely in the eye, "a Fairy Godmother appeared and told me she was going to help me."

"A… Fairy Godmother."

"Yes."

"Alright…"

"She told me that she could help me go to the ball, and that she would give me a dress, but it would only last until midnight." Kuon considered this for a moment.

"You left just after our dance, didn't you? Around midnight?"

"Yes. It was so that I could beat everyone back, without anyone seeing me. The entire outfit was supposed to turn back to what I had been wearing earlier that evening, but I guess the slippers didn't. I lost one of them as I left the palace, and when I got back, I was still holding the other. I think… it might have been a reminder. To tell me that I wasn't crazy and that I really had gone." Kuon processed this for a few minutes while Kyoko waited nervously, her hands still trapped in his. He felt her trembling and rubbed the back of her hands with his thumbs, hoping to reassure her.

"Well, I can't say that you didn't have a pair of glasses slippers. That would be silly. And I can't see anyone really knowing how to make a pair normally… Still, a Fairy Godmother. You've met a lot of interesting people, haven't you?" he asked smiling, praying that she would relax. It was unbelievable. But this was Kyoko. He had to believe it.

"Well, I suppose so, Your Highness." Kuon chuckled and then sighed.

"I can't say that I understand it perfectly, but I can't say that I think you are lying. Given both of our circumstances, I can't think that anything short of magic would have let us meet. And the world certainly has seemed much more magical since I've met you, Kyoko."

It was that smile again, mind numbing enough to make her miss the fact that he had called her only by name. Her hands in his kept her standing, but she was not sure how to return this warmth. She could not match it, she was not capable. And even if she could, she felt like it would be an invitation to expect something she could not give him.

"I-I'm glad that you believe me, Highness," she answered, pulling her hands out of his and taking a step back. "And if you could please, not tell anyone else?"

"Certainly." Why was she pulling away? How could she feel so far gone and still be standing just there. Was there any way that he could close this gap and reach her, even if it was just for one moment? He reached out and took one of her hands, kissing her fingers softly as he held her gaze. "I promise I won't tell anyone," he whispered.

"I'm sorry to have taken up so much of your time, Highness," Kyoko babbled, pulling her hand away. "I had best leave now so that I can finish checking both Maria's and my baggage." And that was that. She was not going to give him a chance. Maybe it was better this way.

"That's alright. I'm sure you're busy." He stepped back, giving her space. "Have a safe trip, Lady Kyoko. If there is anything that I can do for you, at any time, please let me know. I hope that you stay safe… and happy."

He gave her a regal bow and she met it with a respectful curtsy. Then she dashed around him and left the room before he could see the tears starting to build at the corners of her eyes. He barely noticed. He was staring out the window, watching the future stretch out long and empty before him.

The Duke's party left the palace the next day. Their Majesties came out to see off their long time friend, but the Prince was missing. Maria told them that he had said goodbye to her earlier and no one asked Kyoko if she had seen him. They did not quite dare to.

That evening, at the first inn they stopped at, Kyoko and Lory told Maria the truth. Lory had hired a private parlor for supper, and after Sebastian had stepped outside to make sure that no one was near the door to eavesdrop, the Duke told his granddaughter there was something important that she needed to hear. Maria was confused at first, a little hurt that they had not told her earlier, and then ecstatic. Kyoko was a lady, and Maria had always known it.

"But why didn't you tell me sooner?" she demanded of Kyoko in frustration. "I can keep a secret!"

"You have to ask your grandfather," Kyoko said quietly, taking a bite of her food. "He was the one who said that I wasn't allowed to say anything." Maria turned to her grandfather.

"Well?" she demanded. Lory smiled.

"I'm simply overly cautious. The fewer people that knew, the better. Master Ryutaro was never told, and neither was Mater Takenori, both very trustworthy men."

"So, will Kyoko be staying with us from now on?" Maria asked excitedly.

"No," Kyoko answered. "I have to go back to my own home and take care of things there. I'll only be with His Grace and your father for a short time while they get thing taken care of."

"But, she'll come with us next winter, to the palace? Won't she?" Maria asked Lory. She heard Kyoko let out a sad sigh.

"We'll have to see," the Duke answered gravely. "Miss Kyoko has a lot of work to do and she can't leave her home until everything is taken care of."

Kyoko was not used to the particular tone that Lory had used but Maria knew it and gave her grandfather a questioning look that demanded to know what he was up to. His answering look told her that she would have to wait, so she shrugged and allowed herself to take great pleasure in calling her friend "Lady Kyoko" for the rest of the trip.

Lory was sorry that Kyoko seemed out of spirits, but took comfort in the fact that he would be allowed to explain the rest of his plan once he returned her home.

He had not had this much fun in a long time.

Kuon returned to his office after having gone to retrieve some papers from Yukihito. He had avoided being present at Lory's departure and offered no explanation to anyone. He was fairly sure he did not really need to.

When he opened the door, he noticed a package sitting on his desk. There was no card on the outside, and when he opened it he was stunned to see a glass slipper winking up at him. He was thoroughly confused as he removed it from the box and looked at it.

It had to be her slipper. It was exactly how he remembered it. But why would she have given it to him?

A small card was underneath the shoe, but it had no name. The missive was short, and written in the most abominable bright pink ink that Kuon had ever been forced to look at. The writing was not like Kyoko's. The note simply said:

_~ A reminder that it really happened. And that it could really happen again._

Kuon stared at it blankly, trying to understand what the cryptic missive could mean. Then he looked at the slipper and noticed something odd. It was for the wrong foot. It couldn't have been left by Kyoko. The slipper he held in his hand was the exact same slipper that he had been handed the morning after the ball. It was the slipper that she had broken into a thousand pieces over his head.

"_Fairy Godmother… well how am I not supposed to believe in magic_?" he mused to himself as he put the shoe back in the box.

He could not say that he knew much about falling in love, but if it was anything like his father had described, anything like he had been feeling, he doubted he would ever have an experience like the one he had had with Kyoko ever again.

Still, this was a good reminder.

Kyoko arrived several days later at Lory and Maria's home. She was introduced to Kuoki Takarada, who was just as enamored with her as she had been told, though much less exuberant in his emotions than his father and daughter. Kyoko dismissed his thanks politely, but was given an oath that anything she needed, she had only to ask for. She was then allowed to go upstairs and rest. Her baggage was already up in her guest room, and as she had been told she would not be going home right away, she decided to unpack her few things that she would need while she was there.

She checked on her slipper first, making sure that it was still intact. As she opened her treasure box where she had stored it, a slip of paper fell out and landed on the floor. She picked it up in confusion, not remembering having put any paper in the box. When she looked at it the bright pink writing, it gave her a headache, but she managed to interpret it.

_~ I've taken care of the other one. Because nothing is worth its full value without its perfect match._

Kyoko was curious at the note, and was sure it had to have come from Jelly, though what she had done with the other slipper Kyoko was sure she would never know. Where on earth was it? At home?

In any event, it was taken care of. So it would be even more important to take care of the one that Kyoko still had. She set it gently on the bed and went back to work unpacking, tucking the strange note into her pocket so she would not forget to look for the other slipper.

* * *

_Oh my word, this chapter was ridiculously huge. Unduly so, almost. I hope that you all were able to enjoy it. I received a large number of reviews with demands on how I should (and should not) finish this story. I am worried that people will be disappointed. I hope that you all do end up liking how this ends. We are _very_ close to the finale. Will thanks everyone that praised her, and you have both of our thanks for the many reviews. We're glad that you have enjoyed everything so far._

_Our prayers remain with those who have suffered from disasters, wherever they are.  
_


	24. A Perfect Set

_Very sorry for the extremely long wait for this chapter. Here, at long last, is the end. I hope that you enjoy._

* * *

Kyoko slipped into the chair behind the desk with a reminiscent sigh. She still had some vague memories of when she had been too small to heave herself onto this seat and large hands had hoisted her up, settling her into a lap that was more than willing to hold her while its owner worked. She remembered the smell of her father, the sound of his voice, his laugh, the twinkle in his eyes when he found her mingling with his staff and learning their trades.

"I'm home…" she whispered to the empty space, and she almost could have sworn a voice answered her. But she could not make out any distinct words and decided it must just be a memory.

Her fingers traced the rich trim on the dark mahogany desk, her mind calling up memories of turning the knots into people and places, telling stories in the swirls. The room still smelled like him, just a little. Under all of the dust she could still feel him there. Those were his books that he had loved, that was the candle that he always worked by, the quill he always used, the wax that he sealed all of his letters with. All of it remained, almost untouched. All but the portrait that her sisters had cleaned and returned to its place on the desk. The place where every time he even glanced up, he would have seen it. Seen her.

"Papa."

She was glad to be home. She had enjoyed her stay with the Duke and had had a very hard time parting with Maria when it had come time for her to leave after a couple of weeks. But leave she did. There was work for her at home, and she needed to do it. And maybe, if she could get it done quickly enough-

Kyoko discarded that thought with a shake of her head. Kanae had not yet dragged her into the details of the work that was going on outside the keep and Chiori had only passingly mentioned the workers that were bustling about inside her old home, repairing things, but Kyoko knew how big this project was. Revitalizing her home. Making the entire area a livable place again, and not just for her. She had been given the rest of today to recuperate from her journey and plod through her memories, but tomorrow was time for work. No distractions. Especially not tall, blonde, and handsome ones.

A soft knock sounded on the door and Kyoko was shaken from her reverie.

"Come in," she invited, dragging herself back to the present. The door opened to reveal one of the new servants, informing her it was time for supper. "Thank you," Kyoko answered with a warm smile. The servant, a young woman about Kyoko's age, returned the smile timidly and retreated.

"Ah, there you are!" Lory welcomed Kyoko as she entered the dining room. "You've been hiding since we got here. Were you resting?"

"Oh no," Kyoko answered pleasantly. "I was in my father's study, looking at his old things."

The Duke smiled sympathetically and gestured for her to take her seat at the table. Kanae and Chiori were still standing, but Saena, silent and not looking at anyone, was already seated at the lower end of the table. Kyoko walked over to her stepmother and curtsied appropriately.

"Good evening, Lady Saena," she said calmly. Saena shifted slightly to nod her head at her stepdaughter.

"Good evening, Lady Kyoko," she responded stiffly. Kanae growled under her breath and Lory shook his head sadly. Kyoko hesitated before she nodded primly and moved to her seat. Dinner was a quiet affair, conversation being held softly. Kanae and Chiori questioned Kyoko and the Duke about their trip. It was odd, but even though her sisters barely knew Lory, they were comfortable around him. A bit leery of his idiosyncrasies, but comfortable none the less. Kyoko related several anecdotes about her adventures with Maria, and the Duke entertained everyone with stories from his past.

"I don't think Kuoki had ever thought a woman was willing to hit him," he told the group of giggling girls as he shamelessly related his son's first time meeting Lina. "But she called him three kinds of stupid and demanded to know who gave him the right to reproach her for living. I've never seen my son as shocked as he was then. I told him the moment she flounced off in a huff that he was going to marry her." The girls snickered in an unladylike fashion and at the far end, Saena sniffed disdainfully.

"I imagine he was _so_ pleased," Kyoko interjected. Lory chuckled darkly.

"Oh, he just shook his head and rolled his eyes. Which made it even better when he came back a month later and told me that he _was_ going to marry her. He has trouble accepting his father's brilliance." The girls shared an understanding look.

After supper the group divided. Kyoko, though she could not be brought to admit it, was exhausted after all of her travels and went straight to bed after asking to be woken by a certain time the next morning. Lory returned to his room, but stayed up for a while longer, composing a letter that he had been intentionally delaying writing to his anxious monarchs. It would be deviously full of a load of tripe and carefully devoid of any valuable information and would drive Kuu and Juliena mad with frustration. Kanae and Chiori retreated to the bookroom to compose their reports for Kyoko, and Saena disappeared to her new room in the tallest tower.

Her daughters had thought it a fitting place for her.

Kyoko woke the next morning and felt ten years old. She was in her own room, she had slept in later than usual, and all of her baggage had been carelessly tossed around the night before as she had searched for her nightgown. The whirlwind appearance of her chambers was so childish, she could not repress the giggle that escaped when she sat up and looked around. Not that she had ever been a messy child, but this nightmare was going to be very troublesome to clean up.

There was no time like the present, so Kyoko got to work organizing her mess, sorting what had to be pressed before it was put away, and placing items back where they belonged. She was still hard at work when the servant from the evening before entered her room to wake Kyoko. The young woman let out a gasp when she saw Kyoko carefully laying out dresses on top of a bed that had already been made.

"My Lady, if you had told us the mess was distasteful, we could have-" Kyoko cut her off.

"It's fine," she said with a smile, wishing Kanae or Chiori had explained her habits before she arrived. "Father taught me that anything you can do you should, and I've always taken care of my packing when I travel." The girl's eyes grew wide.

"I- I had heard that Your Ladyship was very… capable, but I didn't think you actually-" She stopped with a furious blush and Kyoko took pity on her.

"I hate leaving my messes for other people to clean up," she told the young woman. "I don't like leaving work undone. My father told me to be responsible, and this is just how I am."

"If- if Your Ladyship is certain," the girl stammered.

"Absolutely certain. Thank you for coming to get me for breakfast."

"Yes, ma'am. If there is anything else we can do for you?" She seemed rather hopeful to be of service and Kyoko knew that Lory had been scolding her for not taking advantage of the servants in his own home, so Kyoko glanced around her.

"If you could have those dresses pressed and put away, that would be excellent," she told the girl. The servant nodded and left Kyoko to freshen up quickly before she went downstairs for breakfast.

After eating the girls gathered for their first day of real work. They started with letting Kyoko know about everything that had already been implemented. After several hours of crop planting, polishing, and renovating had been discussed, all three of the girls were ready for a break. Lunch was served and the Duke was asked to join them.

"Productive morning?" he asked cheerfully to the party. He was met with a tablefull of glares. He chuckled. "Ah. I don't suppose there is anything that I can do to help."

"Take notes," Kanae sighed, flexing her cramped fingers. Lory watched her thoughtfully for a moment.

"Where is your clerk?" he asked mildly, surveying the girls. They blinked. "You know, that person who takes notes for you, organizes things, occasionally sends invitations, does those very useful things that Sebastian and Yukihito do."

"We never hired one," Chiori answered. "As far as staff was concerned, I was more worried about cleaning and gardening when we were putting things together. And Kanae didn't want anyone helping her."

"The only people available around here were all men," Kyoko added. "She didn't want their help. They stare," she mentioned helpfully. Kanae rolled her eyes while Lory chuckled.

"Well, that could be problematic. Since you don't want my help with your plans, perhaps you can let me take on this project?"

"You think you can find us a clerk that we can work with?" Kanae asked skeptically.

"If you don't mind," the Duke answered.

"Could you?" Kyoko questioned. Lory nodded.

"Leave it to me. I'll start searching as soon as we finish eating, and I'll be back when I have completed this quest." The girls thanked him, but remained uncertain that he would succeed.

Two days later the sisters were hard at work again when the door burst open to reveal that the Duke had returned. He grinned, bowed, and stepped aside to allow a woman to enter and step up next to him. Kyoko smiled a welcome and Chiori glanced at this new woman before turning back to a piece of paper in front of her. Kanae frowned.

"My ladies, may I present to you Mistress Shoko Aki. I've.. um, commandeered her from a nearby family. She was working as one of the Fuwa's clerks." There was a notable chill in the room as the three girls resurveyed the woman at the door. "I've rescued her," he added dryly.

"Oh," Kyoko breathed, giving Shoko an apologetic look. "You worked for Shotaro?" she asked quietly. Shoko smiled in understanding.

"For a while. He was… rather selective in the people that he wanted to work for him and I apparently fit his criteria." Kyoko, examining Shoko, did not find this hard to believe.

"I'm very sorry," she said. "Would you prefer to work here?" Shoko nodded.

"Very much, Your Ladyship. If your sisters don't mind," she said cautiously.

Kanae was quiet for a moment, but she shrugged.

"If the Duke found her worth the time to drag out here, she should be worth something. And if she can put up with the Fuwa's son for any length of time, she should be able to deal with us."

"Trial period?" Chiori suggested.

"A few days," Kanae agreed. "Then we can see how things stand."

"We're only just getting started. It can't hurt us to add her now."

"She can at least be scribe."

Shoko watched the two girls with a small amount of anxiety. Finding work for a woman that did not involve all kinds of crafts that she did not know or was not scandalous was no easy task, and her last job had been well paying, if fairly degrading. But when she had been offered this new position, or the possibility of this new position, she had not hesitated to leave her old place. The idea that she could be useful and work with women had been too appealing. She wanted this job, and she wanted it badly. These girls looked intimidating and difficult, but they also looked strong and independent. And the one with gold eyes, Lady Kyoko she thought, seemed to be less frightening than the others. If she could hold out for just the next few days… After all, they could not be worse than Sho had been.

"If you'd like a trial, I'm willing," Shoko said calmly. "If you can just let me know what your expectations are…"

"Of course," Kyoko interceded, stepping forward. "We'd be happy if you could help us."

Two hours later Shoko had demonstrated just the skills needed to warm Kanae over and was contentedly taking notes while the group made preparations and changes. The days that followed demonstrated her various skills in making contacts, covering forgotten details, and being incredibly patient. She was good with the girls and even earned a place of respect among them. She was good enough even that the Duke decided to cut his visit short.

"You're leaving?" Kyoko gasped over supper one evening. "Now?"

"I've been staying to make sure that you were settling in well and adjusting to all the work you need to do. You're in good hands with Mistress Shoko. You have things under control. I will be back to check on you at some point, but for now, I do have to get home. I try and spend my summers with my family for a reason, and you seem to have everything that you need."

"Oh," Kyoko said softly. She looked up at him, the hint of tears in her eyes. "I'll miss you." Lory smiled.

"Oh, don't worry. You'll be seeing me again. Do you have any letters that you want me to take to Maria?"

The next few weeks were agonizing. There was no end to the documents that Kyoko had to review, visitors she had to interview, and purchases she had to barter over. Kanae was always willing to step in and take over, and Shoko was a great help. But Kyoko insisted on being a part of everything that was going on. She worked herself into a depressing fatigue by the end of each day and made it out of bed by sheer force of will most mornings. Only the thought that her duty still lay before her kept her going. She could do this. She would do this. It was what her father wanted.

It was not what her father wanted at all. Being a ghost was getting tiresome, but Eiji Mogami was not ready to leave his daughter yet. From one extreme to another, she was just like her mother, always just a tiny push away from falling off the cliffs of insanity. He was proud of all the work that she was doing, but a little less collapsing into her bed at the end of the day would have been a nice change.

Just when Kyoko finally felt that she had settled into everything, Lory reappeared with an added task.

She was sitting quietly in her father's study, carefully reviewing some bills, when a knock sounded at the door and she bid the guest to come in without even looking up. It took her a full minute before she realized that the Duke had entered, not some servant. She started.

"Your Grace! You've returned!"

"I told you I would," he retorted congenially. "It seems like I have surprised you."

"I'm sorry! Are you tired? Please, have a seat!" she gestured to a chair sitting just in front of her and Lory took it, smiling kindly.

"It is just fine, Lady Kyoko. You seem to have been quite busy. It's normal to be a little distracted in these sorts of circumstances. Kuoki suffers from it all the time."

"It has been a bit trying," she admitted quietly. "But I'm doing better. Things seem to be on track for this year, and everyone seems to be accepting the changes we are instituting."

"Nothing could be worse than Saena?" Lory suggested casually. Kyoko flinched and nodded.

"Any change is a good change in their minds. They don't even mind when I have to leave things to Kanae. And she's very happy working with Shoko. I try to be involved in everything directly, but some days we have to go two directions at once, and they're both very good at handling peoples' problems." Lory smirked.

"How is your stepmother doing?"

"Not very well," Kyoko sighed. "Kanae and Chiori are better at keeping her in line, though she does listen to me. We stay out of each others' way most of the time and don't talk much when we do meet. I think she would be happiest if I were still at the palace, though." Lory shook his head, suddenly serious.

"That is unfortunate, but good to hear. Because I've come to remind you of another duty that you have to fulfill. Your sister might have to step into your shoes some more, and I would hate to leave her in charge of a woman she could not handle." Kyoko sagged.

"Something else to do?" she asked in depressed accents before she could stop herself. Lory smiled sympathetically, but nodded firmly.

"Oh yes. With everything that you have been catching up on, I'm sure no one has thought to mention it, but you are quickly adopting your father's worst habit, Lady Kyoko." She frowned.

"And what was that?" she asked, trying to rack her brain for some fatal flaw her father had possessed. None came to mind.

"He ignored his neighbors," the Duke stated softly. Kyoko stiffened, then blushed.

"Oh."

"Of course, you haven't been able to speak to anyone yet, because your home was hardly fit to entertain in. But now that things are bustling again, you need to consider your social duty. You don't have to entertain here, though I am certain that your clerk could easily help you do so with her many experiences, but you need to know the people that are around you and be involved in their lives. I believe you once taught Maria the boundless importance of at least maintaining a written correspondence with nobles throughout the realm." Kyoko gave him a sheepish look.

"I believe I did say something of the kind, Your Grace. And I have been writing to Maria," she pointed out. Lory chuckled, but shook his head.

"Lady Kyoko, besides my family or yours, who have you spoken to since you came back?" Kyoko mumbled something that sounded enough like "no one," that Lory continued. "You have any number of options, but you do need to consider your position. Writing a few formal letters to your neighbors to inform them that you are in the neighborhood will be a good start, and you will probably receive several invitations to parties all around. Summer is a time for travel, and if you have the means, you might even consider taking a trip to the south to visit your mother's relatives."

"South?" Kyoko asked in a tiny voice.

"Of course. Then you could stop by the court on the way down and pay homage to our monarchs, who are rather interested in how you are doing, by the way. I've been giving them only the tiniest bits of information since reporting your progress is really your own duty. They would be happy to know that you have settled in."

"I don't think… going south while things are so busy up here is a good idea," Kyoko stated weakly. Lory shrugged.

"Then sending the king and queen a letter should suffice. Her Majesty's birthday is not too far off. You can send your regards and let them know you have arrived safely and are working well."

"That sounds like a good plan, Your Grace," she answered in relief. Lory studied her carefully for a moment before speaking.

"Lady Kyoko, have you considered returning to the court for the winter?" he asked firmly. Kyoko seemed to recoil.

"I'll be needed up here. Winter will involve sorting and going through all the harvests' numbers. The work won't be done. It will barely have started."

"That may be the case, but it would be very smart for you to at least come down for the winter feast," Lory countered gently. Kyoko hesitated.

"I would have to come down early to make sure that I was not held up by the weather. And getting back could take a long time, depending on the condition of the roads. If I were to come down, it might as well be for the whole season."

"That certainly is an option," the Duke replied. Kyoko shook her head, squaring her shoulders.

"No, Your Grace, it isn't. I have work that I need to do and a responsibility to my people."

"You have a responsibility to see them happy and well taken care of. And you also have a responsibility to represent them at court so that they are never cut off from the help that their king might need to provide. And you owe your sovereigns the occasional visit so that they know how much they can rely on you."

"I'm sure they will understand if I can't come right awa-"

"If you can't come until Kuon's married," Lory cut her off. "Because that is what you're waiting for. And could be a very long time in coming, Lady Kyoko." She faltered.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're-"

"I'm not going to play games with you anymore, young lady. I'm very much aware that your hasty retreat and adamant desire to stay away from the palace comes from some plaguey idea you have about avoiding the Prince. I expect you believe your feelings were not obvious. But even if you have rejected his offer of marriage in the past, that is no reason to hide in these cold northern mountains all winter, avoiding the reality of the situation. You've known him long enough now, don't you think he's forgiven you? I imagine you've discussed the incident with him."

"Briefly," Kyoko admitted. "He… accepted my apology."

"So you have no good reason to stay away," Lory declared irritably.

"I'm sure… even if he has forgiven me he wouldn't want to see me again." Lory showed his opinion of this statement with an undignified snort. Kuon would give just about anything to see Kyoko again, and the Duke had no doubt of this.

"And what do you want?" he demanded in an unyielding tone, fixing her with a piercing gaze. Kyoko squirmed.

"I… would like to go back. Maybe not this year, but perhaps next I could go and see Their Majesties and pay my respects. If I went over the summer I could make it a short trip and visit my family like you suggested. Maybe take a full month for the entire expedition."

"Lady Kyoko," Lory sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I don't think you're listening to me."

"Your Grace suggested that I visit the capital," she answered meekly. He gave her a pouting glare.

"Have you ever considered, Lady Kyoko, that your talents for misdirecting questions and looking deplorably innocent would be ideal tools for living at court?" She cocked her head and pondered this.

"Well, if I wasn't needed here, I suppose-"

"You aren't needed here," Lory interjected briskly. Kyoko blinked in surprise.

"I thought the entire point of revealing who I was to Their Majesties was because I _was_ needed here." Lory rubbed his forehead. He really should have expected this. She was so literal. It was how he had gotten her out here without giving away his plans in the first place after all.

"The entire point of getting you out of your servile position was to get you back where you belonged," he corrected her tiredly. "But just because you belong among the nobility doesn't mean you belong right here, Lady Kyoko." He made sure she was looking at him, catching his every word. "In fact, there are some people around you who would be very happy to see you leave this place."

"My stepmother," she sighed.

"You stepsisters," Lory added, ignoring her shocked look. "And your king and queen."

"Your… Grace?"

"Lady Kyoko, I think your sister has told you about her aspirations to promote the cause of the capability of women?" Now Kyoko was very lost.

"Are you talking about Kanae or Chiori, Your Grace?"

"Lady Kanae. I want you to listen very closely to what I am going to say, Lady Kyoko. Because I have a plan…"

Kyoko leaned forward on the desk curiously, giving the Duke her full attention.

It had been three months since Kyoko had left the palace. Kuon had rallied himself as best he could, knowing that both of his parents were watching him for signs of despondency. He put up patiently with the advances of Lady Mimori and Lady Erika, but had been glad to see them leave at the end of one month. They had been exhausting to avoid. He socialized and worked hard, and by the end of the season had gathered a certain amount of respect from the nobility. They were not sure that he would be as well behaved when they returned in the fall, but if he continued acting so maturely there was an unstated agreement that he might have re-earned his place as his father's successor. Somehow, though Kuon was aware of these sentiments, they brought him none of the pleasure he had once thought they would.

He took good care of the slipper he had received, but could not decide if he was glad to have it or not. Every time he saw it was a rather bittersweet experience. He hoped that some day he would become used to the empty feeling he carried with him now. But he did not allow himself to hope too much.

Tonight was the final closing social event. The company was in one of the smaller ballrooms having finished supper earlier. The guests danced together and chatted, but there were much fewer people than had been here even a week before and half the people who were there would be gone within the next three days.

Kuon would be glad when the palace became quiet again.

His parents sat in two small thrones at the far end of the room, watching their guests and giving their official farewells to those departing. Yukihito stood nearby, chatting with a few people. Kuon stood on his father's right, giving a polite word where needed, saying goodbye to those who might have been called his peers, and trying to keep the look of absolute boredom off of his face.

"You are wasting a last lovely chance," Hidehito declared, striding up to the Prince and claiming his attention. The Kijimas were year round residents of the palace, and their son found the summer to be sadly devoid of company. He came to share his woes with a most unsympathetic listener. "The ladies here will be leaving us shortly. Don't you have even the tiniest desire to bid them farewell?"

"I've already said goodbye to all of them," Kuon answered shortly, not even looking at his guest. "I am not doing so again." Hidehito sighed.

"I just want the Duke's granddaughter to return," he sighed wistfully. Kuon gave him a bemused look.

"I thought you hated Maria, in spite of your boundless affection for small children." Hidehito held a finger to his lips.

"Don't go spreading my secret about," Hidehito scolded. "The only reason I've managed to avoid marriage is because all these women think I would hate to have a child."

"Wouldn't you?" Kuon asked dryly.

"One of my own, and right now, of course. You and I are young, dashing, and single. We should enjoy it! And since you won't, I'll just have to enjoy it for both of us." Kuon made a noncommittal grunt.

"So, why are you anxious to see Maria?" he asked, redirecting the conversation back on track. Hidehito smirked.

"Because, she has the most lovely and graceful -_and_ unattached- chaperone, and I would desperately love to see Miss Kyoko again."

"Really?" Kuon asked, his voice disinterested. Hidehito was not discouraged.

"Don't you?" he pressed mockingly. Kuon did not dignify this probe with an answer, so his companion continued. "She was your star pupil, after all. Don't you miss having her around? And so lovely besides…"

"Kijima, I have no expectations of seeing Miss Kyoko in the near future, and possibly not ever. Enjoy your last moments with the ladies present. The last thing you want is for me to join you."

Hidehito shrugged, clapped the Prince on the shoulder and sauntered off to pay his final respects to Lady Itsumi. He might find Kuon's behavior boring, but was happy for the lack of competition. Kuon as a contender for the attentions of the young ladies present would seriously distract from Hidehito's pleasure. He had cornered the Prince mostly to try and discover if Miss Kyoko would be returning sometime soon.

"I don't know how you put up with him," Yukihito sighed, materializing next to the Prince. Kuon shrugged.

"He isn't as high pitched as most of the annoying people that I know."

"He wasn't speaking very well of Miss Kyoko," Yukihito pointed out with a keen eye watching the Prince's reaction. Kuon disappointed him, remaining stoic.

"He doesn't really mean it. I'm sure he would flirt with her if he were given the chance, but he isn't terribly disrespectful. She could handle him."

"Really?" Yukihito asked. "If you ask me, Miss Kyoko seems like the kind of girl who wouldn't take him seriously and would end up accidentally engaged to him." Kuon considered this with a frown.

"It's… unlikely. He wouldn't ask her, in any event, because of their difference in station." Yukihito smiled teasingly.

"So if they were of the same station…" he suggested wickedly.

"Yukihito," Kuon murmured warningly. He was ignored.

"I just think that you should be considering the issue," his aide stated calmly. "She might not catch everyone's attention, but I'm sure there are a number of people that will find her attractive. You might have to protect your interests." Kuon glanced around to make sure no one was listening.

"She has no plans on coming back in the near future, and is there a particular reason why you are being so indiscreet?" he asked irritably. Yukihito gave him an eerily innocent look.

"I wasn't being indiscreet. I made sure no one was around." Kuon rolled his eyes. "Have you considered traveling this summer?" he asked casually. Kuon repressed a glare.

"No."

"Not even a little? I'm sure it would do you good to get away from here. Go see new places."

"I'm not going after her," Kuon stated as calmly as he could.

"I didn't say you should go see Miss Kyoko," Yukihito replied with inordinate satisfaction. "Why would you assume I was?"

"I've already explained to you, on the several occasions that you have suggested travel to me, that going north is not an option. _Miss_ Kyoko is busy with her work, and will be for some time yet. Even if there were the possibility of anything between us," he emphasized, stressing the public setting to his careless aide, "the work that she would have to do would take years to complete. Years that I can't spend away from the court and she can't spend at it. Years that would require both of us to find other people to become involved with."

"Only because neither of you is looking for a reasonable solution," Yukihito retorted.

"I'm not traveling, Yukihito. Let it drop."

"You're going to lose her," his aide pointed out.

Kuon started glaring, and Yukihito decided it was time to exit. He waved cheerily and went back to stand on the other side of the king and queen. Yukihito had not been told very much about the Duke's plans for Lady Kyoko, but he was fairly sure that Lory Takarada had not given up on the Prince and the runaway as a couple. Yukihito certainly had not given up on it. He liked Kyoko very much, liked how she had changed Kuon, and disliked the idea that she would spend the rest of her life hidden away, slaving over the mismanagement her mother had allowed to fester. He hoped Kuon would take action. Things could still be resolved. Yukihito was sure of it. So he would try and prod things along.

Kuon sighed in frustration and turned to glance over at his parents who were just saying their last farewells to Lord Hiroaki and his wife, Lady Haruki, who was the oldest of Count Asami's children. His father caught him staring as the two visitors stepped away and gave Kuon a knowing grin, the message, "Just a little longer," etched clearly onto his face. Kuon smiled in return and opened his mouth to ask how much longer until they retired when a massive fanfare began playing. The king rolled his eyes, but seemed to become more animated as the ballroom doors swung open to reveal a parade of trumpeters, blaring their noise and forcing the remaining couples on the dance floor to separate and stand aside. There were a few chuckles and several confused looks as the band formed an aisle, but no one strode through the door to follow them. An explosion of smoke appeared before the throne, but the guards in the room only rolled their eyes and held position.

"My king, my ever lovely queen, I return at last to your sides! Was I missed?" an exuberant voice exclaimed.

Where the Duke had sprung from, no one could really be sure, but both Kuu and Juliena smiled when they saw him. Kuon was amused, but was not sure that he was happy to see Duke Takarada just yet.

In his more bitter moments, he blamed Lory for the current state of affairs.

"Duke Takarada," Kuu answered with mock seriousness, "We pined ourselves away in your absence. You were gone so long, We quite despaired that you would ever return." Lory flourished his hand and bowed his head penitently.

"But I have returned, Your Majesties. And I have brought with me the fruits of a most laborious harvest. I believe I mentioned to you the great charity I was involved in before I left you."

"You mentioned it," Kuu answered, and Kuon instantly became suspicious. Both his father and mother had the most devious looks on their faces. And Yukihito was ignoring this conversation and staring behind Lory, his mouth agape.

What on earth?

"I am proud to tell you that all of my efforts have paid off! I have revived a wilting flower and have brought it before you. Praise me, and all my magnificence, I beg, Your Majesties, Master Yukihito," he looked directly at Kuon, "Your Highness."

His eccentric opulence was draped this particular evening in a spectacular cape, making him look rather larger than normal. He reached his hand back and whisked a young woman hidden behind the manifolds to his side, bowing as he presented her to the royal family.

Kuon was torn between wonder and a hearty desire to kill the Duke.

"King Kuu, Queen Juliena, Prince Kuon, may I present to the three of you, for your approval, my Lady Kyoko Mogami. She has been with my family these past years as she has recovered from the death of her father, and I now bring her back to court, prepared once again to step into the den of the social jungle."

Kyoko gave a beautiful curtsy, a small blush on her face, not quite willing to meet anyone's eyes. She was dressed as she ought to be, without any of Lory's flamboyance, in a gown of rose pink. Her hair had been returned to its original color and had grown long enough that it was held in a small bun on the back of her head, a few strands allowed to hang artfully, framing her face. Around her neck, to Kuon's pleasure, was the pendant she had received from the Prince for her birthday.

"Your Majesties," she raised her eyes to meet Kuon's. "Your Highness."

"_No girl_,_"_ he thought frustratedly, _"should be allowed to look that lovely just standing there. It is not fair_._"_

Thankfully, his face only had room for his pleasure in seeing her, and while her knees might have felt weak, Kyoko could find nothing disheartening in the smile he was giving her.

"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Lady Kyoko," the king stated calmly, aware of the eyes in the room that were turned towards the thrones. "Did you have a safe trip?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I'm sorry we arrived at so inconvenient a time," she apologized sincerely. There were a few more chuckles from around the room. Anyone who knew the Duke knew that convenience was not his passion; flamboyance was.

"I hope that you aren't too tired," the queen smiled. "You're welcome to join us here for the rest of the evening if you would like."

"That would be lovely," Kyoko replied. "Thank you, Your Majesty." She curtsied again and the room's occupants shook themselves out their stupors to return to their fun. The Duke's fanfare took refuge along the walls and he and Kyoko stepped up to the thrones to speak with the king and queen.

After a few more pleasantries, the monarchs became heavily engaged in a conversation with Lory, leaving Kyoko to glance over at the Prince as she stood in abandoned silence. Kuon knew he was being forced to play gracious host by his parents' blatantly rude behavior, but he was not in the mood to be manipulated any further. Clearly, they knew something about what was going on and Kuon wanted no part of it. He was not a toy for any of their amusement.

Thankfully for Kyoko, Kuon was not completely devoid of common sense. Stubborn he might have been, but when he noticed Hidehito Kijima approaching with a determined and questioning look on his face, Kuon knew that there had been a blunder in the plans, and quickly moved to Kyoko's rescue.

"I know that you have just arrived," he stated abruptly, stepping up to her, "but if you are planning on staying with us until the evening is over, would you mind if I claimed you for the next dance, Lady Kyoko?" She blinked, slightly baffled by his sudden change in behavior, but nodded.

"I would be honored, Your Highness."

"Ah, you captured her before I did," Hidehito declared, giving Kuon a reproachful look before carefully scrutinizing Kyoko, causing her to blush nervously. "I'm disappointed. You seem particularly familiar and I hate to think that I forgot so lovely a face."

"I- I'm afraid we've never been introduced," Kyoko murmured, adding enough of a smile to her face to make her look more flirtatious than nervous. Kuon was fairly certain she was not flirting, but decided he had already had more than enough of this conversation. And if Kijima had recognized her…

"I'm sorry, but I think the next song is starting," Kuon stated, taking Kyoko's hand in his own. "If you'll excuse Lady Kyoko and I, Hidehito, perhaps I can introduce her to you later?" His opponent agreed dispassionately, still watching the young woman caught between them.

"Later then, Your Highness, _Lady_ Kyoko," he bowed with a touch of sarcasm.

Kuon led Kyoko away onto the floor as the music began. The warm feeling he had every time he held her was there again as he began to lead her through the dance. She was as light on her feet as he remembered, and he did not lose the opportunity to speak with her.

"Well, that was close," he said ruefully. Kyoko gave him a weak grin.

"I suppose challenging him to a duel was not such a good idea," she agreed wholeheartedly. "I think Master Ryutaro is watching us now too," she added.

"Well, hopefully he will stall Hidehito. He's always liked you and would be the first to discourage rumors about you."

"Do you think so?" she asked, surprised. Kuon smiled. Yes, this was the Kyoko that he remembered.

"Of course."

"You don't think he's angry?" she asked, casting a quickly glance at the man across the room.

"I doubt it. I think the only thing that could possibly make him angry is if you had shirked your practice while you were away, or gave up fencing."

"Never!" Kyoko declared, her gaze turned back to the Prince. "No one at home was as good as you were, though Maria's father made for a fairly good opponent." Kuon chuckled.

"I think you are going to embarrass an unseemly large number of men in this realm, Lady Kyoko," he told her, a touch of fondness in his tone.

"Oh, I'm sure that isn't true," she protested. Kuon let the subject drop.

"How long will you be here?" he asked, as he caught her after a quick spin.

"As long as I can stay," she replied steadily. "I've arranged things with Kanae and Chiori, and Kanae is currently running things back home. She is still working with the tenants and basically doing all of the things that I should be. She said it was the condition that His Grace put down for getting me out of here so quietly, that she take over whenever I wanted to leave. And she also said she figured that after all the work I had done, it was the least she could do."

"That was very generous of her," Kuon said, his grip on her hand tightening slightly.

"Oh, well she's always wanted to manage her own lands," Kyoko told him. "I think she is happy to be in charge and not have me around. It makes her feel powerful." The Prince chuckled.

"So what are your plans for while you're here?" he asked as casually as he could. He was pleased to see her blush.

"Nothing definite yet," she admitted. "His Grace had to bring me here to reintroduce me to your parents and make sure that everyone knew I was still alive. I'm here as his guest, and what that means for me, I still can't figure out. I suppose I'll get used to court life and see what I can do to keep busy without causing a ruckus."

"No sneaking off to help in the kitchens?" he suggested. She giggled.

"No, though I do want to head down there at some point. The head chef was told who I am before I left. I'm beginning to think now that His Grace consented to it because he was planning on bringing me back, and the chef and his wife were likely to recognize me."

"So this was the plan all along?"

"Yes, and before you frown at me, I didn't know either. His Grace kept talking about me accepting my responsibility and taking on my family name again. He said nothing about lying to everyone in sight for months when he brought me back here until after I had been home for a while."

"Are you glad that you came back?" he asked. She blushed again.

"Yes." He relaxed and smiled again and she was very glad he was holding her up. Too much more of this and she was going to melt.

"Ah, I have something for you, by the way," he told her with a touch of excitement.

"You do?"

"Yes. I think your Fairy Godmother paid me a visit, because I seem to have a slipper that was supposed to have been bashed into pieces over my head sitting perfectly whole in my room."

"You have the other slipper?" she asked in astonishment.

"Yes, and in one piece."

"A perfect set," she murmured to herself as he continued to lead them through the steps. Before he could ask her what she meant, she looked up at him with a smile that turned his stomach in funny little ways.

He needed to get her out of here, before he did something that would really give them away.

With a quick look over his shoulder the Prince caught Yukihito's eye. Yukihito nudged Lory, who in a second had created an appropriate distraction to hold the guests' attention while Kuon stole Kyoko out a side exit onto a small balcony. Kuon led her out into the garden, now coming back into bloom, and kept walking until they were a good ways away from the party. He listened to make sure no one was there before leading her to a bench and sitting her down.

"Your Highness, what-"

"I'm sorry, but if past experience is any example, I probably won't find time to talk with you again for another several days with the last of the guests moving about and all the work that I am supposed to be doing. And we couldn't keep talking inside."

"No, that's fine. Was there something in particular you wanted to talk about?" she asked, curiously. He thought about this for a moment since he had not really considered exactly what he wanted to speak to her about. He had just wanted to escape the prying, and matchmaking, eyes.

"I suppose I still wonder what your plans are, but it doesn't seem like you have any at the moment," he told her, still scrambling for a topic of conversation. She smiled apologetically.

"Well, no. I am staying here, but I'm not quite sure that counts as an actual plan. I've been told on my way here that I'm not allowed to go back and see my stepmother again until she apologizes, and I'm not so optimistic as to think that will ever happen. But I can't really head home then as long as she is alive, since she doesn't really have anywhere to go."

"Her old husband's lands should still be around," Kuon pointed out.

"Yes, but since she didn't have a son, they were given off to his other family, and they won't keep her anymore."

"I see," he replied dryly. "Well, then it's kind of you to let her stay."

"Not really. I do want to go back someday, but I like it here, and I'm happy to stay as long as I have the excuse."

"You need an excuse?" he asked, confused. "I thought your sister was happy to be in charge."

"Oh, yes. But… it still feels like I am shirking," she confessed. "I don't really have a… compelling reason to stay here."

Kuon stared at her, wondering if now was the right time to tell her how he felt. It had certainly seemed like she had come back to see him, but now he was feeling a little less confident. But he was not sure he wanted to wait and find out just how many other admirers she could gain before declaring his feelings.

It was selfish, but he was possessive of her, and he wanted the right to keep her all for himself.

"Kyoko-" he began.

"Your Highness, you shouldn-" He placed a finger over her lips.

"Kyoko, I will call you by every title you possess when we have company, but not right now. And I won't stand for you calling me 'Your Highness' anymore either. I told you to stop that a long time ago. I have a name, you know."

"Yes, Your Highness. But-"

"Names, Kyoko. We both have them, and I want to you use mine. I'm going to be using yours, with or without your permission. You see, it is a very lovely name." He paused for a moment, then chuckled. "Yes, this is your punishment."

"Punishment?" she swallowed.

"For lying to me," Kuon explained. "You told me when we first met that your name was so horrible you couldn't speak it because it would ruin your image."

"Oh. Did I?" She could not really remember all the things she had said that first night.

"Yes, you did. But you're wrong. You're name is, as I said, lovely, and fits your image perfectly." She looked up at him pleadingly.

"Your High-"

"I won't answer you if you don't use my name, Kyoko," he told her sternly, earning a pout from the girl sitting in front of him. She held out for a long moment before giving in.

"K-Kuon."

Her stammer was cute, and the blush brightening on her cheeks was just too much. Before she could think to object, he leaned in and kissed her.

When he pulled away she seemed a little dazed, but not unhappy. He cradled her face in one hand and held her hands with his other.

"Kyoko Mogami, I am very much in love with you. I can't think of a way I would rather spend my life than with you at my side. This time, in all sincerity, would you please, please marry me?" He had not meant to beg, but it had come out anyway. He hoped it added to his sincerity. Her mouth opened and closed a few time as she tried to articulate an answer and he became nervous.

"No one will understand it, Kuon. They'll think it's strange," she mumbled, not meeting his gaze.

"That might be true, but it is not an answer," Kuon retorted, covering his nerves with a surreal calm. "And if that is your only contingency I will state that not only will the stuffy nobility be so glad that I actually am marrying a noble that if I do something strange and rash, they'll blame it on my father. I promise, there is not a force in this kingdom besides your will that can prevent us from being married. And we have enough eccentricity on our side that we can even pull it off without a scandal. So, your answer please, Kyoko."

She hesitated for a moment and he held his breath, comforted only by the fact that she was not holding a glass shoe this time.

"I'll marry you Kuon," she told him at last, a mischievous smile peeping onto her mouth. "But only because I love you." He smiled.

"That's fine with me," he whispered before kissing her again.

Later, when they finally returned to the party, Kuon did not leave her side. She accepted this and allowed him to introduce her properly to several guests, including Ryutaro and Yukihito. Ryutaro gave them a scolding look before warmly welcoming Kyoko to the palace and demanding to know if she had any knowledge in fencing. She could not lie to him and he demanded that she come and practice with him and the Prince some mornings if she had the time. Yukihito was pleased to see her, and was the only man successful in dragging her away from Kuon that evening, promising to guard her with his life if he was given the privilege of dancing with her again. Kyoko, grateful for his calm acceptance of her presence, agreed.

When all the guests had left for bed and the royal family had retreated to the usual bookroom, Kyoko was brought along on Kuon's arm. No one questioned this and when they both announced what everyone had assumed since Kuon had spirited her away, the couple was smothered in congratulations. There were a great number of tears from both the queen and the king. Mostly from the king. Kyoko was hugged repeatedly and Lory had to call everyone to order to stop the ruckus from alerting any late working servants to the events that were unfolding.

"We need to create a plan of action to arrange the engagement and wedding so that everything will happen quickly, but not too suspiciously," he directed as everyone took a seat around the room, Kyoko staying close to Kuon.

"Can't this wait till the morning?" Kuu asked tiredly. "When we are awake and thinking clearly?"

"No," the Duke stated. "Tomorrow Lady Kyoko will be wandering the palace, and we need to have our stories straight before we set her loose. Especially since no one is going to know she is engaged."

"We aren't going to tell them?" the queen asked sleepily, staring fondly at her husband. "Lady Kyoko will be very popular, and there aren't many other women at court right now."

"Not just yet," Lory repeated, and Kuon nodded in grudging agreement.

"We have to let at least a little time pass, to alleviate suspicion. It won't kill all the gossip, not with Kyoko being Saena's stepdaughter, but it will help."

"I don't see why anyone would think it terribly strange," Juliena continued to protest. "With Kuon's more social behavior this season, we could explain it as an engagement that has been standing since last March, but because Lady Kyoko was still court shy, she couldn't come down yet, and we wanted her to be here for the announcement." Lory shook his head.

"She wasn't at the ball last spring, according to our story, and Kuon's never been far enough north to meet her," he stated.

"But she's been living with you," Kuu argued. "He's been up to see you once or twice in the last five years. Call it an arranged marriage, which is why he's been so rebellious, and it could work." Lory considered this.

"It could work, if we started the rumors carefully enough," he agreed.

"I don't think so," Kyoko interjected timidly, shifting as all eyes in the room turned to her. Kuon nodded in agreement, encouraging her. "His Grace has forgotten, but before I left, I was training with Ryutaro and practicing with the young men here in the palace. Most of them have left, but I think some of them might remember me. Especially Hidehito Kijima," she admitted guiltily. Lory groaned.

"How did I forget that?" he groused. "Well, we can't use the story then. But that isn't the problem." He sighed. "You're going to be recognized, aren't you? And not just by people we can trust, like Ryutaro and Takenori." She nodded and shifted again. Kuon took her hand.

"I'm sure we can make this work," Juliena soothed, noting Kyoko's rising panic. "As long as she doesn't fence, I'm sure we can let it slide. If we stick to our story, no one has evidence that she was here. And she looked different."

"Changing hair color isn't a usual practice," Kuu agreed. "Especially not lightening it. And definitely not in a servant. I hate to think of it, but some people might decide to explain it by making comments about your father," the king explained to Kyoko. "But we can avoid connecting it to you."

"As long as I don't fence?" she asked pitifully, pinching the hearts of everyone in the room. "Ever?"

"Maybe when no one else is around," Yukihito suggested. "She practiced early with Miss Maria after all, and no one came around."

"Mostly to avoid Maria," the Duke countered. He sighed. "All my carefully laid plans, torn to pieces because a weeping female can't contain her penchant for violence!"

"I'm not weeping," Kyoko protested. "And if I can't fence, then I won't. Or I can pretend to fence horribly and have Master Ryutaro teach me again."

"No, no," Lory dismissed. "He would be offended at the thought. We'll just have to let you play around and see what rumors spring up."

"It shouldn't be too terrible," Kuon said quietly. "As far as the servants go, no one ever saw her fence. Only the nobles, and the young men at that. They never knew Kyoko while she was working in the kitchens, only when she was acting as Maria's tutor. And because people avoid Maria, even those that were here the longest always talked about Kyoko as if she had come with you. They might think that you brought her back here secretly for some devious purposes of your own, but they aren't likely to talk about her, even in front of servants who might put two and two together."

"Especially not since she beat them all mercilessly," the king pointed out. "A noble girl masquerading as a servant tricked them all and beat them at fencing? It doesn't make them look very impressive. And if nobles hide among the ranks of servants, you don't know who could be listening."

"You're stretching it," Lory grumbled to the king. Kuu only shrugged.

"Maybe a little. But I think we can weather this."

"I think we're ignoring the biggest issue," Juliena reminded them. "Kuon and Lady Kyoko are going to be married, and we'll agree to it regardless of what anyone says. We can plan all we like, but as long as she is a noble and he wants to marry her, our biggest concern should be the wedding."

A glint seemed to appear in Lory's eyes.

"Ah," he whispered. "The Wedding!" Kuon groaned.

"You have no part in this," he stated. "Leave, before you cause problems." The Duke pouted.

But- but… a royal wedding. It has to be grand!"

"It will be, I'm sure," Kuon promised. "But it isn't about you, so it doesn't need to be your kind of grand."

"Lady Kyoko would like it," he insisted. Kyoko shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace. But I think I have to agree with Kuon. And I don't think we should make plans for that tonight."

"It is late," Juliena agreed. "We might end up being trampled by the Duke's opinions."

"And we can't have the wedding until the fall in any event," Kyoko added. Kuon frowned.

"Why not?"

"Because Maria will kill us if we get married when she isn't around, and since she's planning on traveling with her father this year and he can't leave until the fall, we can't get married until then."

"Oh," Kuon sighed in disappointment. "Well, you're right. We don't want to leave Maria out."

"Or my sisters," she added. "Kanae should be able to trust her new clerk enough that once things calm down at home, she and Chiori can join us for the wedding. Shoko can keep things in order."

"I'd be happy to wait for your sisters," Kuon promised, figuring his life was very likely forfeit if he did not invite the two excessively overprotective siblings.

"Thank you," Kyoko smiled at him. He took her hand and kissed it.

"Of course," he smiled back. Lory coughed.

"Alright, time for bed," he announced. "Let's go. Now."

"I thought you enjoyed romance," Kuu teased as he helped his wife to stand. Lory snorted.

"I do. But pure sap from young trees right before I go to bed is a little much even for me. I put up with enough of it from you and your wife." Kuu chuckled as he pulled the queen into his arms and kissed her head.

"Oh, you don't really mind," he insisted as Juliena giggled and took her husband's hand.

"I'm off," Lory responded with a roll of his eyes. "Come Yukihito, we are unwanted here." The king's aide nodded vigorously, smiling at the two couples before beating a hasty retreat behind the Duke.

"I don't know why he calls himself the Luminary of Love," Kuu complained. "He always gets irritable when people act all romantic around him, no matter how much he pushes them together."

"Maybe he's a little jealous," Juliena suggested gently. Kuu frowned.

"That's a depressing thought," he grumbled. Kyoko looked to Kuon in confusion.

"His wife," Kuon explained softly. "He probably misses her."

"Oh," Kyoko answered just as softly. She frowned as well before looking up at her intended. "That is depressing."

Kuon stroked her head gently.

"I know. It's hard not being with the person that you love." Kyoko grabbed his hand.

"I'm not going anywhere," she promised, earning a smile and a kiss on her forehead.

"Neither am I," he answered. Kuu and Juliena watched the exchange contentedly, the queen still caught in her husband's arms. Eventually Kyoko and Kuon remembered that they had an audience and bid the king and queen goodnight.

"He looks happy," Juliena told her husband as the door closed on the young couple. "Don't you think?" Kuu spun her around and kissed her softly.

"Very happy. Our son is happy, Julie," he whispered, his forehead resting against hers. She smiled.

"We should head to bed," she told her husband. "It's going to be a long day tomorrow." He kissed her again.

"You're right."

Escaping his parents, Kuon escorted Kyoko out and to her own rooms. She would be staying in a guest suit near the Duke's. Stopping outside her door, he kissed her once more before finally releasing her.

"Sleep well," he told her as he stepped back, her hands still trapped in his.

"I will," she told him with a secret smile. He raised a brow in question and she reached into a well concealed pocket in her gown, pulling out the blue stone that he had given her. "It keeps away the bad dreams," she told him. "Like a talisman."

Kuon smiled and recaptured her hand, pulling it to his face and kissing the small stone suspended in her fingers once before placing another feather-light kiss on her palm. He looked up to find her face colored again. Kuon realized he liked this blushing Kyoko very much.

"Sweet dreams," he bid her, releasing her hands and stroking her cheek once with his fingers. She mumbled some sort of embarrassed thanks before falling back into her door and fumbling it open. Kuon reached out to steady her before she fell over her own two feet. "Careful."

"I think my biggest fear now is that I'll do something like this at the wedding," she admitted bashfully. Kuon chuckled.

"Well, you have plenty of time to prepare. And lots of preparations to make." Kyoko giggled nervously.

"You know," she said before she had disappeared behind the door, having recovered some of her calm, "the nice thing is that I don't have to worry about what shoes I'll wear with the wedding dress."

"Glass matches white, I should think," Kuon smiled.

"But you still have to give me the other slipper," she reminded him.

"I'll make it the official engagement present," he assured her.

"Then you had better take care of it. If anything happens, it won't be the perfect set anymore."

"I know," he took her hand and kissed her fingers one last time as she slipped into the room and shut her door.

Kuon strolled down the hall, casting a final glance over his shoulder at her room. He smiled warmly and sighed in pleasure, before hurrying to his own rooms. The coming days seemed much brighter, and he wanted to be awake to appreciate them.

Behind him in the hallway, Kyoko's guardian spectre remained outside her door. Eiji Mogami chuckled at his future son-in-law's behavior before turning back to the closed portal in front of him. He considered going in to bid his daughter a final goodnight, but thought better of it. He had been stalling since she had arrived at the palace, but the truth of the matter was he had no reason to remain. To say farewell again would be indulgent. He had long overstayed his welcome in this world. She would be safe here, surrounded by people that loved her. It was time for him to rejoin his wife for their own happily ever after.

Nodding to a couple of fairies standing guard at Kyoko's door, Eiji's translucent image shimmered, then dissolved into the night.

* * *

_おわり_

_I hope that you all have enjoyed this litter adventure into the Skip Beat/Cinderella universe. And that you are satisfied with the happily ever after. Sorry you had to wait for so long for this chapter. I had to make sure that all the loose ends were tied up, and that meant lots of editing. Thanks to all of my reviewers and my readers. Thank you for your patience, your comments, your applause, and your sympathies. Will thanks everyone that noticed her. She appreciates being remembered. I appreciate her being remembered. These stories would not happen without a beta._

_A quick question anyone out there that has a very deep knowledge of the Japanese music territory (or has a friend that does). If I were to have an arrogant but talented singer perform at the most career noteworthy and auspicious (and large, holding many people) venue in Tokyo for a fic, where would he be singing? Or what would be the place that screamed he had reached the peak of a music career in Japan if the venue was not in Tokyo? I, uh, am working on a little project, and find that the internet is not a perfect resource. I have the names of several venues, but I am not sure which is the best, and most realistic, one to use. Anyone who knows, or can find out, I would really appreciate a message letting me know. _

_Ten points to anyone that can find the _Princess Bride_ reference in the chapter..._

_Our prayers remain with those in need.  
_


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